77 FR 34 pgs. 9925-9927 - Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold

Type: NOTICEVolume: 77Number: 34Pages: 9925 - 9927
Docket number: [Notice 2012-02]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2012-3841 Filed 2-17-12; 8:45 am]
Agency: Federal Election Commission
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2012-02]

Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold

AGENCY:

Federal Election Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

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 expenditure limitations 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: January 1, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, 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., coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(2) and (3)(A), (B)) 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)(B) and 441a(c)(1), 11 CFR 104.22(g), 109.32 and 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2012

Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) (the limits 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 limitation 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. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With More Than One Congressional District

Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district. This limitation also applies to those states and territories that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.1The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (4.56207), rounding to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(B), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2012 general elections for House candidates in these states is $45,600.

Footnotes:

1 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.

2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives in States With Only One Congressional District

Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation 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 limitation 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 limitation is the greater of: The base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index, 4.56207 (which totals $91,200); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.56207. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(A), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2012 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2012 House elections in states with only one congressional district2is $91,200.

Footnotes:

2 Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.

State Voting age population (VAP) VAP × .02 × the price index (4.56207) Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $91,200)
Alabama 3,675,597 $335,400 $335,400
Alaska 534,277 48,700 91,200
Arizona 4,857,391 443,200 443,200
Arkansas 2,227,505 203,200 203,200
California 28,419,993 2,593,100 2,593,100
Colorado 3,886,708 354,600 354,600
Connecticut 2,777,395 253,400 253,400
Delaware 702,467 64,100 91,200
Florida 15,063,111 1,374,400 1,374,400
Georgia 7,325,352 668,400 668,400
Hawaii 1,070,206 97,600 97,600
Idaho 1,156,869 105,600 105,600
Illinois 9,771,132 891,500 891,500
Indiana 4,919,319 448,800 448,800
Iowa 2,337,939 213,300 213,300
Kansas 2,147,316 195,900 195,900
Kentucky 3,348,401 305,500 305,500
Louisiana 3,456,640 315,400 315,400
Maine 1,058,970 96,600 96,600
Maryland 4,481,654 408,900 408,900
Massachusetts 5,182,521 472,900 472,900
Michigan 7,580,375 691,600 691,600
Minnesota 4,067,335 371,100 371,100
Mississippi 2,228,273 203,300 203,300
Missouri 4,598,567 419,600 419,600
Montana 775,845 70,800 91,200
Nebraska 1,382,576 126,100 126,100
Nevada 2,059,547 187,900 187,900
New Hampshire 1,038,210 94,700 94,700
New Jersey 6,778,345 618,500 618,500
New Mexico 1,562,805 142,600 142,600
New York 15,179,189 1,385,000 1,385,000
North Carolina 7,368,808 672,300 672,300
North Dakota 532,776 48,600 91,200
Ohio 8,851,859 807,700 807,700
Oklahoma 2,855,349 260,500 260,500
Oregon 3,008,092 274,500 274,500
Pennsylvania 9,981,727 910,700 910,700
Rhode Island 831,766 75,900 91,200
South Carolina 3,598,675 328,300 328,300
South Dakota 620,926 56,700 91,200
Tennessee 4,911,217 448,100 448,100
Texas 18,713,943 1,707,500 1,707,500
Utah 1,936,913 176,700 176,700
Vermont 500,413 45,700 91,200
Virginia 6,243,058 569,600 569,600
Washington 5,248,281 478,900 478,900
West Virginia 1,470,570 134,200 134,200
Wisconsin 4,385,559 400,100 400,100
Wyoming 433,221 39,500 91,200

3. Expenditure Limitation for President

The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for their general election nominee for President. The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United States. The Department of Commerce also publishes the total VAP of the United States annually in the Federal Register . 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (237,657,645), multiplied by the price index, 4.56207. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(2) and 11 CFR 109.32(a). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2012 Presidential nominees is $21,684,200.

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

For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees giving to U.S. Senate candidates for the 2011-2012 election cycle:

Statutory provision Statutory amount 2011-2012 Limitation
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 more than $37,500 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties) $70,800 (of which no more than $46,200 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties) The overall biennial limit for 2011-12 is $117,000.
2 U.S.C. 441a(h) $35,000 $43,100.

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2012

The Act 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 1.11578, 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), 441a(c)(1)(B) and 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.11578), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2012 is $16,700.

Dated: February 14, 2012.

On behalf of the Commission.

Caroline C. Hunter,

Chair, Federal Election Commission.

[FR Doc. 2012-3841 Filed 2-17-12; 8:45 am]

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