2018-02163. 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 (“the Act”), the Federal Election Commission (“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:

These adjustments are applicable January 1, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information Division, 999 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20463; [phone] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, 52 U.S.C. 30101-46, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index. See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c); 11 CFR 109.32, 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold for 2018.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2018

Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(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). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c).

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. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.^[1] Id. The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (4.97135), rounding to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2018 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $49,700.

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. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state. Id. The VAP figures used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. 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, 4.97135 (which totals $99,400); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.97135. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2018 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2018 House elections in states with only one congressional district ^[2] is $99,400.

Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2018 Elections ³

State	Voting age population (VAP)	VAP × .02 × the price index (4.97135)	Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $99,400)
Alabama	3,779,274	$375,800	$375,800
Alaska	554,867	55,200	99,400
Arizona	5,382,780	535,200	535,200
Arkansas	2,298,739	228,600	228,600
California	30,476,517	3,030,200	3,030,200
Colorado	4,345,321	432,000	432,000
Connecticut	2,844,358	282,800	282,800
Delaware	757,455	75,300	99,400
Florida	16,782,417	1,668,600	1,668,600
Georgia	7,914,681	786,900	786,900
Hawaii	1,121,794	111,500	111,500
Idaho	1,273,151	126,600	126,600
Illinois	9,904,838	984,800	984,800
Indiana	5,093,409	506,400	506,400
Iowa	2,413,764	240,000	240,000
Kansas	2,200,585	218,800	218,800
Kentucky	3,443,650	342,400	342,400
Louisiana	3,575,930	355,500	355,500
Maine	1,083,273	107,700	107,700
Maryland	4,704,671	467,800	467,800
Massachusetts	5,489,864	545,800	545,800
Michigan	7,785,662	774,100	774,100
Minnesota	4,277,949	425,300	425,300
Mississippi	2,270,533	225,800	225,800
Missouri	4,730,561	470,300	470,300
Montana	821,604	81,700	99,400
Nebraska	1,444,343	143,600	143,600
Nevada	2,312,576	229,900	229,900
New Hampshire	1,084,022	107,800	107,800
New Jersey	7,026,626	698,600	698,600
New Mexico	1,599,980	159,100	159,100
New York	15,694,902	1,560,500	1,560,500
North Carolina	7,971,073	792,500	792,500
North Dakota	579,621	57,600	99,400
Ohio	9,053,374	900,100	900,100
Oklahoma	2,971,579	295,500	295,500
Oregon	3,269,157	325,000	325,000
Pennsylvania	10,141,022	1,008,300	1,008,300
Rhode Island	852,307	84,700	99,400
South Carolina	3,919,695	389,700	389,700
South Dakota	654,810	65,100	99,400
Tennessee	5,208,482	517,900	517,900
Texas	20,938,557	2,081,900	2,081,900
Utah	2,175,134	216,300	216,300
Vermont	506,832	50,400	99,400
Virginia	6,600,844	656,300	656,300
Washington	5,759,927	572,700	572,700
West Virginia	1,446,139	143,800	143,800
Wisconsin	4,512,839	448,700	448,700
Wyoming	442,832	44,000	99,400

Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2017-2018 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 and national party committees for the 2017-2018 election cycle:

Statutory provision	Statutory amount	2017-2018 limit
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)	$2,000	$2,700
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)	25,000	33,900
52 U.S.C. 30116(h)	35,000	47,400

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2018

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. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (3)(A). The Commission must adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1). The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.21588, 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 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.21588), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2018 is $18,200.

On behalf of the Commission.

Dated: January 29, 2018.

Caroline C. Hunter,

Chair, Federal Election Commission.

Footnotes

1.  Currently, these are 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/​representatives.

2.  Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/​representatives/​.

3.  This expenditure limit does not apply to 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 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).