97-6098. Adjustments to Civil Monetary Penalty Amounts  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 1997)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 11316-11317]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-6098]
    
    
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    FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
    
    11 CFR Part 111
    
    [Notice 1997-3]
    
    
    Adjustments to Civil Monetary Penalty Amounts
    
    AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: This rule implements the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 
    1996 (``DCIA''), which requires the Commission to adopt a regulation 
    adjusting for inflation the maximum amount of civil monetary penalties 
    (``CMP'') under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (``FECA'' or 
    ``Act''), as amended. Any increase in CMP shall apply only to 
    violations that occur after the effective date of this regulation.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: March 12, 1997.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Ms. Susan E. Propper, Assistant General Counsel, or Rita A. Reimer, 
    Attorney, 999 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20463, (202) 219-3690 or 
    (800) 424-9530.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission is publishing final rules 
    implementing the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-
    134, section 31001(s), 110 Stat. 1321-358, 1321-373 (April 26, 1996). 
    The DCIA amended the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 
    ``Inflation Adjustment Act''), 28 U.S.C. 2461 nt., to require that the 
    Commission adopt regulations no later than 180 days after enactment of 
    the statute and at least once every four years thereafter, adjusting 
    for inflation that maximum amount of the CMP's contained in the status 
    administered by the Commission.
    
    Explanation and Justification
    
        A CMP is defined at section 3(2) of the Interest Adjustment Act as 
    any penalty, fine, or other sanction that (1) is for a specific amount, 
    or has a maximum amount, as provided by federal law; and (2) is 
    assessed or enforced by an agency in an administrative proceedings or 
    by federal law. This definition covers the monetary penalty provisions 
    administered by the Commission.
        The DCIA requires that these penalties be adjusted by the cost of 
    living adjustment set forth in section 5 of the Interest Adjustment 
    Act. The cost of living adjustment is defined as the percentage by 
    which the U.S. Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index (``CPI'') for 
    the month of June of the year preceding the adjustment exceeds the CPI 
    for the month of June for the year in which the amount of the penalty 
    was last set or adjusted pursuant to law. The adjusted amounts are then 
    rounded in accordance with a specified rounding formula. However, the 
    DCIA imposes a 10% maximum increase for each penalty for the first 
    adjustment following its enactment.
    
    Part 111--Compliance Procedure (2 U.S.C. 437g, 437d(a))
    
    Section 11.24  Civil Penalties (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(5), (6), (12), 28 
    U.S.C. 2461 nt.
    
        The Commission's general CMP provisions for violations of the FECA 
    are found at 2 U.S.C. 437g(a) (5) and (6). They provide for a civil 
    penalty not to exceed the greater of $5,000 or an amount equal to any 
    contribution or expenditure involved in the violation.
        These amounts are doubled in the case of a knowing and willful 
    violation, to $10,000 or an amount equal to 200 percent of any 
    contribution or expenditure involved in the violation.
        In addition, the Act imposes CMP's on those who violate certain of 
    its confidentiality provisions. 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(12). The penalty for 
    violating this section is a fine of not more than $2,000 or $5,000 in 
    the case of a knowing and willful violation.
        Sections 437g(a) (5) and (6) were enacted in 1976. Pub. L. 94-283, 
    sec. 109, 90 Stat. 475, 483 (May 11, 1976). Section 437g(a)(12) was 
    added in 1980. Pub. L. 96-187, sec. 108.93 Stat. 1339, 1361 (Jan. 8, 
    1980).
        The civil penalties established in those sections have not 
    subsequently been revised. The Commission is therefore increasing the 
    amount of each maximum CMP by 10%. As explained above, neither the CPI 
    formula nor the rounding off formula applies to this situation, since 
    the Interest Adjustment Act limits the first post-enactment adjustment 
    to 10%.
        Accordingly, as of March 12, 1997, the maximum civil penalties set 
    forth in 2 U.S.C. 437g(a) (5) and (6) are increased to the greater of 
    the amount of any contribution or expenditure involved in the violation 
    or $5,500. The maximum penalty for a knowing and willful violation is 
    increased to the greater of twice the amount of any contribution or 
    expenditure involved in the violation or $11,000. The maximum penalty 
    for a violation of 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(12) is
    
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    increased to $2,200, or $5,500 for a knowing and willful violation. 
    These increased CMP's shall apply only to violations that occur after 
    March 12, 1997.
        These CMP provisions do not currently appear in the Commission's 
    rules. However, section 4(1) of the Interest Adjustment Act directs the 
    Commission to ``by regulation adjust each civil monetary penalty'' by 
    the specified percentage (emphasis added). The Commission is 
    accordingly adopting new 11 CFR 111.24, ``Civil Penalties,'' for this 
    purpose. This section lists each penalty established at 2 U.S.C. 
    437g(a)(5), (6) and (12), adjusted upwards by 10% as required by the 
    Interest Adjustment Act.
        The Commission has no discretion in taking this action, but is 
    doing so pursuant to a statutory mandate. These are thus technical 
    amendments that are exempt from the notice and comment requirements of 
    the Administrative Procedure Act at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and the 
    legislative review requirements of 2 U.S.C. 438(d). These exemptions 
    allow the rule to become effective immediately upon publication in the 
    Federal Register. Accordingly, these amendments are effective on March 
    12, 1997.
    
    Certification of No Effect Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b) Regulatory 
    Flexibility Act
    
        The provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act are not applicable 
    to this final rule because the agency was not required to publish a 
    notice of proposed rulemaking under 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other laws. 
    Therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required.
    
    List of Subjects in 11 CFR Part 111
    
        Administrative practice and procedure, Elections, Law enforcement.
    
        For the reasons set out in the preamble, Subchapter A, Chapter I of 
    Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended to read as 
    follows:
    
    PART 111--COMPLIANCE PROCEDURE (2 U.S.C. 437g, 437d(a))
    
        1. The authority citation for Part 111 is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 2 U.S.C. 437g, 437d(a), 438(a)(8); 28 U.S.C. 2461 nt.
    
        2. Part 111 is amended by adding new section 111.24, to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 111.24  Civil Penalties (2 U.S.C. 437g(a) (5), (6), (12), 28 
    U.S.C. 2461 nt.).
    
        (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a civil 
    penalty negotiated by the Commission or imposed by a court for a 
    violation of the Act or chapter 95 or 96 of title 26 shall not exceed 
    the greater of $5,500 or an amount equal to any contribution or 
    expenditure involved in the violation. In the case of a knowing and 
    willful violation, the civil penalty shall not exceed the greater of 
    $11,000 or an amount equal to 200% of any contribution or expenditure 
    involved in the violation.
        (b) Any Commission member or employee, or any other person, who in 
    violation of 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)912)(A) makes public any notification or 
    investigation under 2 U.S.C. 437g without receiving the written consent 
    of the person receiving such notification, or the person with respect 
    to whom such investigation is made, shall be fined not more than 
    $2,200. Any such member employee, or other person who knowingly and 
    willfully violates this provision shall be fined not more than $5,500.
    
        Dated: March 6, 1997.
    John Warren McGarry,
    Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
    [FR Doc. 97-6098 Filed 3-11-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6715-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
3/12/1997
Published:
03/12/1997
Department:
Federal Election Commission
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
97-6098
Dates:
March 12, 1997.
Pages:
11316-11317 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Notice 1997-3
PDF File:
97-6098.pdf
CFR: (2)
11 CFR 109
11 CFR 111.24