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 Federal Election Commission [NOTICE 2015-01]
 AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.
 ACTION: Notice of adjustments to contribution and 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 contribution and 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:*
                         The effective date for the limitation at 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) is November 5, 2014. The effective date for the limitations at 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A), 30116(a)(1)(B), 30116(d) and 30116(h) is January 1, 2015.
 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, 52 U.S.C. 30101 
                    *et seq.,*
                     coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2) and (3)(A), (B)), certain contribution limits (52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) and (B), and (h)), 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) and 30116(c)(1), and 11 CFR 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 2015 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).
                    ( print page 5751) 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.[1]
                    
                     The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (4.80133), rounding to the nearest $100. 
                    *See*52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B) and 30116(d)(3)(B), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2015 general elections for House candidates in these states is $48,000. 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, 4.80133 (which totals $96,000); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.80133. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 
                    *See*52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B) and 30116(d)(3)(A), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2015 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2015 House elections in states with only one congressional district [2]
                    
                     is $96,000. Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2015 Elections
State
Voting age 
                             population  
                             (VAP)
VAP × .02 × 
                             the price index  
                             (4.80133)
Senate 
                             expenditure limit  
                             (the greater of  
                             the amount  
                             in column 3  
                             or $96,000)Alabama
3,741,806
$359,300
$359,300Alaska
550,189
52,800
96,000Arizona
5,109,792
490,700
490,700Arkansas
2,259,350
217,000
217,000California
29,649,348
2,847,100
2,847,100Colorado
4,109,494
394,600
394,600Connecticut
2,821,247
270,900
270,900Delaware
731,367
70,200
96,000Florida
15,839,713
1,521,000
1,521,000Georgia
7,604,061
730,200
730,200Hawaii
1,111,117
106,700
106,700Idaho
1,203,384
115,600
115,600Illinois
9,892,106
949,900
949,900Indiana
5,014,928
481,600
481,600Iowa
2,381,172
228,700
228,700Kansas
2,181,355
209,500
209,500Kentucky
3,400,843
326,600
326,600Louisiana
3,536,183
339,600
339,600Maine
1,071,112
102,900
102,900Maryland
4,625,863
444,200
444,200Massachusetts
5,354,940
514,200
514,200Michigan
7,686,087
738,100
738,100Minnesota
4,175,347
400,900
400,900Mississippi
2,262,810
217,300
217,300Missouri
4,670,966
448,500
448,500Montana
798,555
76,700
96,000Nebraska
1,414,894
135,900
135,900Nevada
2,175,874
208,900
208,900New Hampshire
1,059,672
101,800
101,800New Jersey
6,926,094
665,100
665,100New Mexico
1,583,623
152,100
152,100New York
15,517,321
1,490,100
1,490,100North Carolina
7,656,415
735,200
735,200North Dakota
570,955
54,800
96,000Ohio
8,955,859
860,000
860,000Oklahoma
2,925,352
280,900
280,900Oregon
3,112,217
298,900
298,900Pennsylvania
10,086,316
968,600
968,600Rhode Island
842,321
80,900
96,000South Carolina
3,747,734
359,900
359,900South Dakota
642,768
61,700
96,000( print page 5752)Tennessee
5,054,826
485,400
485,400Texas
19,841,344
1,905,300
1,905,300Utah
2,038,787
195,800
195,800Vermont
504,976
48,500
96,000Virginia
6,457,174
620,100
620,100Washington
5,458,809
524,200
524,200West Virginia
1,470,179
141,200
141,200Wisconsin
4,457,375
428,000
428,000Wyoming
445,830
42,800
96,000
 Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2015-2016 Election Cycle The Act requires inflation indexing to: (1) The limitations on contributions made by persons under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) (contributions to candidates) and 30116(a)(1)(B) (contributions to national party committees); and (2) the limitation on contributions made to U.S. Senate candidates by certain political party committees at 52 U.S.C. 30116(h). 
                    *See*2 U.S.C. 30116(c). These contribution limitations are increased by multiplying the respective statutory contribution amount by 1.33702, 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 2001). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. 
                    *See*52 U.S.C. 30116(c) and 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution limitations shall be adjusted accordingly: Statutory provision
Statutory mount
2015-2016 limit52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)
$2,000
$2,70052 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)
25,000
33,40052 U.S.C. 30116(h)
35,000
46,800
 The increased limitation at 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) is to be in effect for the two-year period beginning on the first day following the date of the general election in the preceding year and ending on the date of the next regularly scheduled election. Thus the $2,700 figure above is in effect from November 5, 2014, to November 8, 2016. The limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) shall be in effect beginning January 1st of the odd-numbered year and ending on December 31st of the next even-numbered year. Thus the new contribution limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) are in effect from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2016. 
                    *See*11 CFR 110.17(b)(1). Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2015 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 1.17429, 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)(A) and (B), 30116(c)(1)(B) and 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.17429), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2015 is $17,600. On behalf of the Commission, January 28, 2015. Ann M. Ravel, Chair, Federal Election Commission.


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


[FR Doc. 2015-01963 Filed 2-2-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6715-01-P