[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 11, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 11CFR9008.52] [Page 316-317] TITLE 11--FEDERAL ELECTIONS CHAPTER I--FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION PART 9008--FEDERAL FINANCING OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTIONS--Table of Contents Subpart B--Host Committees Representing a Convention City; Convention Expenditures by Government Agencies and Municipal Corporations Sec. 9008.52 Receipts and disbursements of host committees. (a) Definition of host committee. A host committee includes any local organization, such as a local civic association, business league, chamber of commerce, real estate board, board of trade, or convention bureau: Which is not organized for profit; whose net earnings do not inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual; and whose principal objective is the encouragement of commerce in the convention city, as well as the projection of a favorable image of the city to convention attendees. A host committee must register in accordance with 11 CFR 9008.51. (b) Receipt of goods or services from commercial vendors. Host committees may accept goods or services from commercial vendors under the same terms and conditions (including reporting requirements) set forth at 11 CFR 9008.9 for convention committees. (c) Receipt of donations from local businesses and organizations. (1) Local businesses (including banks), local labor organizations, and other local organizations or individuals who maintain a local residence or who work for a local business, local labor organization, or local organization may donate funds or make in-kind donations to a host committee to be used for the following purposes: (i) To defray those expenses incurred for the purpose of promoting the suitability of the city as a convention site; (ii) To defray those expenses incurred for welcoming the convention attendees to the city, such as expenses for information booths, receptions, and tours; (iii) To defray those expenses incurred in facilitating commerce, such as providing the convention and attendees with shopping and entertainment guides and distributing the samples and promotional material specified in 11 CFR 9008.9(c); (iv) To defray the administrative expenses incurred by the host committee, such as salaries, rent, travel, and liability insurance; [[Page 317]] (v) To provide the national committee use of an auditorium or convention center and to provide construction and convention related services for that location such as: construction of podiums; press tables; false floors, camera platforms; additional seating; lighting, electrical, air conditioning and loudspeaker systems; offices; office equipment; and decorations; (vi) To defray the costs of various local transportation services, including the provision of buses and automobiles; (vii) To defray the costs of law enforcement services necessary to assure orderly conventions; (viii) To defray the cost of using convention bureau personnel to provide central housing and reservation services; (ix) To provide hotel rooms at no charge or a reduced rate on the basis of the number of rooms actually booked for the convention; (x) To provide accommodations and hospitality for committees of the parties responsible for choosing the sites of the conventions; and (xi) To provide other similar convention-related facilities and services. (2) For purposes of this section, any business (including a branch of a national or regional chain, a franchise, or a licensed dealer) or labor organization or other organization with offices or facilities located within the Metropolitan Area (MA) of the convention city shall be considered local. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that any such entity located outside the MA is not local. This presumption may be rebutted by a showing that the volume of business or activity in an area lying outside the MA would be directly affected by the presence of the convention. [59 FR 33616, June 29, 1994, as amended at 64 FR 49363, Sept. 13, 1999]