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 Federal Election Commission [Notice 2016-01]
 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: *Effective date:*
                         January 1, 2016.
 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, 52 U.S.C. 30101-46, 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 periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index. 
                    *See*52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1); 11 CFR 109.32, 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold for 2016. Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2016 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 (4.80703), 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 2016 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $48,100. 
 
 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, 4.80703 (which totals $96,100); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.80703. 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 2016 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2016 House elections in states with only one congressional district [2]
                    
                     is $96,100. Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2016 Elections
State
Voting age population
                             (VAP)
VAP × .02 × the 
                             price index  
                             (4.80703)
Senate expenditure 
                             limit (the greater of  
                             the amount in column 3 or $96,100)Alabama
3,755,483
$361,100
$361,100Alaska
552,166
53,100
96,100Arizona
5,205,215
500,400
500,400Arkansas
2,272,904
218,500
218,500California
30,023,902
2,886,500
2,886,500Colorado
4,199,509
403,700
403,700Connecticut
2,826,827
271,800
271,800Delaware
741,548
71,300
96,100Florida
16,166,143
1,554,200
1,554,200Georgia
7,710,688
741,300
741,300Hawaii
1,120,770
107,800
107,800Idaho
1,222,093
117,500
117,500Illinois
9,901,322
951,900
951,900Indiana
5,040,224
484,600
484,600Iowa
2,395,103
230,300
230,300Kansas
2,192,084
210,700
210,700Kentucky
3,413,425
328,200
328,200Louisiana
3,555,911
341,900
341,900Maine
1,072,948
103,200
103,200Maryland
4,658,175
447,800
447,800Massachusetts
5,407,335
519,900
519,900Michigan
7,715,272
741,800
741,800Minnesota
4,205,207
404,300
404,300Mississippi
2,265,485
217,800
217,800Missouri
4,692,196
451,100
451,100Montana
806,529
77,500
96,100Nebraska
1,425,853
137,100
137,100Nevada
2,221,681
213,600
213,600New Hampshire
1,066,610
102,500
102,500New Jersey
6,959,192
669,100
669,100New Mexico
1,588,201
152,700
152,700New York
15,584,974
1,498,300
1,498,300North Carolina
7,752,234
745,300
745,300North Dakota
583,001
56,100
96,100Ohio
8,984,946
863,800
863,800Oklahoma
2,950,017
283,600
283,600Oregon
3,166,121
304,400
304,400Pennsylvania
10,112,229
972,200
972,200Rhode Island
845,254
81,300
96,100South Carolina
3,804,558
365,800
365,800South Dakota
647,145
62,200
96,100Tennessee
5,102,688
490,600
490,600Texas
20,257,343
1,947,600
1,947,600Utah
2,083,423
200,300
200,300Vermont
506,119
48,700
96,100Virginia
6,512,571
626,100
626,100Washington
5,558,509
534,400
534,400West Virginia
1,464,532
140,800
140,800Wisconsin
4,476,711
430,400
430,400Wyoming
447,212
43,000
96,100
 
 
 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. The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation was certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Department of Commerce also publishes the total VAP of the United States annually. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (247,773,709), multiplied by the price index, 4.80703. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 
                    *See*52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2) and 11 CFR 109.32(a). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2016 Presidential nominees is $23,821,100. Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates and National Party Committees for the 2015-2016 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 2015-2016 election cycle: Statutory provision
Statutory 
                             amount
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
 Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2016 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. The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.17569, 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 × 1.17569), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2016 is $17,600, unchanged from 2015. On behalf of the Commission. Dated: February 3, 2016. Matthew S. Petersen, Chairman, 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.* 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. 2016-02627 Filed 2-9-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6715-01-P