2020-03262. Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold  

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    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 Start Printed Page 9773bundling disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.

    DATES:

    The new limits apply beginning on January 1, 2020.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information Division, 1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or (800) 424-9530.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, 52 U.S.C. 30101-45, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2)-(3)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted annually to reflect changes in the consumer price index. See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), (b)(3), 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold for 2020.

    Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2020

    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 (5.18508), 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 2020 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $51,900.

    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, 5.18508 (which totals $103,700); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 5.18508. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3), 110.17(c). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2020 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2020 House elections in states with only one congressional district [2] is $103,700.

    Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2020 Elections 3

    StateVoting Age Population (VAP)VAP × .02 × the price index (5.18508)Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $103,700)
    Alabama3,814,879$395,600$395,600
    Alaska551,56257,200103,700
    Arizona5,638,481584,700584,700
    Arkansas2,317,649240,300240,300
    California30,617,5823,175,1003,175,100
    Colorado4,499,217466,600466,600
    Connecticut2,837,847294,300294,300
    Delaware770,19279,900103,700
    Florida17,247,8081,788,6001,788,600
    Georgia8,113,542841,400841,400
    Hawaii1,116,004115,700115,700
    Idaho1,338,864138,800138,800
    Illinois9,853,9461,021,9001,021,900
    Indiana5,164,245535,500535,500
    Iowa2,428,229251,800251,800
    Kansas2,213,064229,500229,500
    Kentucky3,464,802359,300359,300
    Louisiana3,561,164369,300369,300
    Maine1,095,370113,600113,600
    Maryland4,710,993488,500488,500
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    Massachusetts5,539,703574,500574,500
    Michigan7,842,924813,300813,300
    Minnesota4,336,475449,700449,700
    Mississippi2,277,566236,200236,200
    Missouri4,766,843494,300494,300
    Montana840,19087,100103,700
    Nebraska1,458,334151,200151,200
    Nevada2,387,517247,600247,600
    New Hampshire1,104,458114,500114,500
    New Jersey6,943,612720,100720,100
    New Mexico1,620,991168,100168,100
    New York15,425,2621,599,6001,599,600
    North Carolina8,187,369849,000849,000
    North Dakota581,89160,300103,700
    Ohio9,111,081944,800944,800
    Oklahoma3,004,733311,600311,600
    Oregon3,351,175347,500347,500
    Pennsylvania10,167,3761,054,4001,054,400
    Rhode Island854,86688,700103,700
    South Carolina4,037,531418,700418,700
    South Dakota667,55869,200103,700
    Tennessee5,319,123551,600551,600
    Texas21,596,0712,239,5002,239,500
    Utah2,274,774235,900235,900
    Vermont509,98452,900103,700
    Virginia6,674,671692,200692,200
    Washington5,951,832617,200617,200
    West Virginia1,432,580148,600148,600
    Wisconsin4,555,837472,400472,400
    Wyoming445,02546,100103,700

    3. Expenditure Limitation for President

    The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for their general election nominee for President. 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2). The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United States. Id. The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation was certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of the United States is also published annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (255,200,373), multiplied by the difference in the price index, 5.18508. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(2); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17(c). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2020 Presidential nominees is $26,464,700.

    Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 election cycle:

    Statutory provisionStatutory amount2019-2020 limit
    52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)$2,000$2,800
    52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)25,00035,500
    52 U.S.C. 30116(h)35,00049,600

    Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2020

    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), (i)(3)(A). The Commission must adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B). The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.26815, 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). See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.26815), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2020 is $19,000.

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    Start Printed Page 9775

    Dated: February 13, 2020.

    On behalf of the Commission,

    Caroline C. Hunter,

    Chair, Federal Election Commission.

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    Footnotes

    1.  Currently, these are Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. See http://www.house.gov/​representatives.

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    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, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands because those jurisdictions do not elect Senators. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).

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    [FR Doc. 2020-03262 Filed 2-19-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 6715-01-P

Document Information

Published:
02/20/2020
Department:
Federal Election Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.
Document Number:
2020-03262
Dates:
The new limits apply beginning on January 1, 2020.
Pages:
9772-9775 (4 pages)
Docket Numbers:
NOTICE 2020-01
PDF File:
2020-03262.Pdf