[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8368-8370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3231]
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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
[Notice 2011-01]
Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure Limits
and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold
AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.
ACTION: Notice of adjustments to contribution and expenditure limits
and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.
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SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971, as amended (``FECA'' or ``the Act''), the Federal Election
Commission (``FEC'' or ``the Commission'') is adjusting certain
contribution and expenditure limits and the lobbyist bundling
disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for
inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information
that follows.
DATES: Effective Date: The effective date for the limit at 2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(1)(A) is November 3, 2010. The effective date for the limits at
2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A), 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3), 441a(d), and 441a(h)
is January 1, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Greg J. Scott, Information
Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or
(800) 424-9530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign
Reform Act of 2002 \1\ and the Honest Leadership and Open Government
Act of 2007,\2\ coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C.
441a(d)(2) and (3)(A) and (B)), certain contribution limits (2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(1)(A) and (B), (a)(3) and (h)), and the disclosure threshold
for contributions bundled by lobbyists (2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A)) are
adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index.
See 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3) and 441a(c)(1); 11 CFR 109.32 and 110.17(a) and
(f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted
limits and disclosure threshold.
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\1\ Public Law 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002).
\2\ Public Law 110-81, 121 Stat. 735 (Sept. 14, 2007).
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Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2011
Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure
limits established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) (the limitations on expenditures
by national party committees, state party committees, or their
subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign
of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation.
This expenditure limit is increased by the percent difference between
the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of
Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year
and the price index for the base period (calendar year 1974).
1. Coordinated Expenditure Limit for House of Representatives in
States With More Than One Congressional District.
Both the national and state party committees have a coordinated
expenditure limit for each general election held to fill a seat in the
House of Representatives in states with more than one congressional
district. This limit also applies to those states that elect
individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\3\ The
formula used to calculate the expenditure limit in such states
multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price
index (4.42246), rounding to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C.
441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based
upon this formula, the coordinated expenditure limit for 2011 general
elections for House candidates in these states is $44,200.
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\3\ Currently, these states are the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of American Samoa,
Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana
Islands. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
and http://about.dc.gov/statehood.asp.
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2. Coordinated Expenditure Limit for Senate and for House of
Representatives in States With Only One Congressional District.
Both the national and state party committees have a coordinated
expenditure limit for a general election held to fill a seat in the
Senate or in the House of Representatives in states with only one
congressional district. The formula used to calculate this expenditure
limit considers not only the price index but also the voting age
population (``VAP'') of the state. The VAP of each state is published
annually in the Federal Register by the Department of Commerce. 11 CFR
110.18. The general election expenditure limit is the greater of: The
base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index,
4.42246 (which totals $88,400); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the
state, multiplied by 4.42246. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100.
See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b) and
110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the
2011 general election coordinated expenditure limit for Senate
elections. The coordinated expenditure limit for 2011 House elections
in states with only one congressional district \4\ is $88,400.
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\4\ Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.
[[Page 8369]]
Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2011 Elections
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Senate
expenditure
Voting age VAP x .02 x the limit (the
State population (VAP) price index greater of the
(4.42246) amount in column
3 or $88,400)
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Alabama................................................... 3,599,303 $318,400 $318,400
Alaska.................................................... 527,205 46,600 88,400
Arizona................................................... 4,940,296 437,000 437,000
Arkansas.................................................. 2,195,465 194,200 194,200
California................................................ 27,795,779 2,458,500 2,458,500
Colorado.................................................. 3,865,036 341,900 341,900
Connecticut............................................... 2,727,907 241,300 241,300
Delaware.................................................. 685,978 60,700 88,400
Florida................................................... 14,616,271 1,292,800 1,292,800
Georgia................................................... 7,324,792 647,900 647,900
Hawaii.................................................... 1,006,338 89,000 89,000
Idaho..................................................... 1,143,651 101,200 101,200
Illinois.................................................. 9,777,437 864,800 864,800
Indiana................................................... 4,861,307 430,000 430,000
Iowa...................................................... 2,313,538 204,600 204,600
Kansas.................................................... 2,133,356 188,700 188,700
Kentucky.................................................. 3,323,606 294,000 294,000
Louisiana................................................. 3,397,965 300,600 300,600
Maine..................................................... 1,048,523 92,700 92,700
Maryland.................................................. 4,385,947 387,900 387,900
Massachusetts............................................. 5,203,385 460,200 460,200
Michigan.................................................. 7,623,767 674,300 674,300
Minnesota................................................. 4,038,685 357,200 357,200
Mississippi............................................... 2,194,892 194,100 194,100
Missouri.................................................. 4,589,980 406,000 406,000
Montana................................................... 764,058 67,600 88,400
Nebraska.................................................. 1,359,656 120,300 120,300
Nevada.................................................... 1,977,693 174,900 174,900
New Hampshire............................................. 1,043,155 92,300 92,300
New Jersey................................................ 6,691,782 591,900 591,900
New Mexico................................................ 1,514,872 134,000 134,000
New York.................................................. 15,167,513 1,341,600 1,341,600
North Carolina............................................ 7,188,327 635,800 635,800
North Dakota.............................................. 511,050 45,200 88,400
Ohio...................................................... 8,840,340 781,900 781,900
Oklahoma.................................................. 2,796,489 247,300 247,300
Oregon.................................................... 2,986,164 264,100 264,100
Pennsylvania.............................................. 9,880,374 873,900 873,900
Rhode Island.............................................. 833,168 73,700 88,400
South Carolina............................................ 3,515,754 311,000 311,000
South Dakota.............................................. 620,912 54,900 88,400
Tennessee................................................. 4,847,129 428,700 428,700
Texas..................................................... 18,210,592 1,610,700 1,610,700
Utah...................................................... 1,951,049 172,600 172,600
Vermont................................................... 500,054 44,200 88,400
Virginia.................................................. 6,103,947 539,900 539,900
Washington................................................ 5,170,543 457,300 457,300
West Virginia............................................. 1,439,342 127,300 127,300
Wisconsin................................................. 4,372,515 386,700 386,700
Wyoming................................................... 417,319 36,900 88,400
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Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate
Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate
Candidates for the 2011-2012 Election Cycle
BCRA amended the Act to extend inflation indexing to: (1) The
limitations on contributions made by persons under 2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(1)(A) (contributions to candidates) and 441a(a)(1)(B)
(contributions to national party committees); (2) the biennial
aggregate contribution limits applicable to individuals under 2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(3); and (3) the limitation on contributions made to U.S. Senate
candidates by certain political party committees at 2 U.S.C. 441a(h).
See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c). These contribution limits are increased by
multiplying the respective statutory contribution amount by 1.23152,
the percent difference between the price index, as certified to the
Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the
beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period
(calendar year 2001). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest
multiple of $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c); 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution
limits shall be adjusted accordingly:
[[Page 8370]]
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Statutory provision Statutory amount 2011-2012 Limit
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2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)...... $2,000.............. $2,500.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B)...... $25,000............. $30,800.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A)...... $37,500............. $46,200.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B)...... $57,500 (of which no $70,800 (of which no
more than $37,500 more than $46,200
may be attributable may be attributable
to contributions to to contributions to
political political
committees that are committees that are
not political not political
committees of committees of
national political national political
parties). parties). The
overall biennial
limit for 2011-12
is $117,000.
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)............ $35,000............. $43,100.
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The increased limit at 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) is to be in effect
for the two-year period beginning on the first day following the date
of the general election in the preceding year and ending on the date of
the next regularly scheduled election. Thus, the $2,500 figure above is
in effect from November 3, 2010, to November 6, 2012. The limits under
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3)(A) and (B), and 441a(h), shall be in
effect beginning January 1st of the odd-numbered year and ending on
December 31st of the next even-numbered year. Thus the new contribution
limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3)(A) and (B), and 441a(h)
are in effect from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2012. See 11 CFR
110.17(b)(1).
Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2011
The Act, as amended by HLOGA, requires certain political committees
to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and
lobbyist/registrant political action committees once the contributions
exceed a specified threshold amount. The Commission must adjust this
threshold amount annually to account for inflation. The disclosure
threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure
threshold by 1.08163, the difference between the price index, as
certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12
months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index
for the base period (calendar year 2006). The resulting amount is
rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. See 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A) and
(B) and 441a(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula
($15,000 x 1.08163), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for
calendar year 2011 is $16,200.
Dated: February 9, 2011.
On behalf of the Commission.
Cynthia L. Bauerly,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2011-3231 Filed 2-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P