[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 11, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 11CFR200.3]

[Page 197-198]
 
                       TITLE 11--FEDERAL ELECTIONS
 
                 CHAPTER I--FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
 
PART 200--PETITIONS FOR RULEMAKING--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 200.3  Processing of petitions.

    (a) If a document qualifies as a petition under 11 CFR 200.2, the 
Commission, upon the recommendation of the Office of General Counsel, 
will--
    (1) Publish a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, 
stating that the petition is available for public inspection in the 
Commission's Public Records Office and that statements in support of or 
in opposition to the petition may be filed within a stated period after 
publication of the notice;
    (2) Send a letter to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, pursuant 
to 2 U.S.C. 438(f), seeking the IRS's comments on the petition; and
    (3) Send a letter to the petitioner, acknowledging receipt of the 
petition and informing the petitioner of the above actions.
    (b) If the petition does not comply with the requirements of 11 CFR 
200.2(b), the Office of General Counsel may notify the petitioner of the 
nature of any discrepancies.

[[Page 198]]

    (c) If the Commission decides that a Notice of Inquiry, Advance 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, or a public hearing on the petition would 
contribute to its determination whether to commence a rulemaking 
proceeding, it will publish an appropriate notice in the Federal 
Register, to advise interested persons and to invite their 
participation.
    (d) The Commission will not consider the merits of the petition 
before the expiration of the comment period on the Notice of 
Availability.
    (e) The Commission will consider all comments filed within the 
comment period prescribed in the relevant Federal Register notice. The 
Commission may, at its discretion, consider comments received after the 
close of the comment period.