Source: http://ecfr.io/Title-11/pt11.1.114
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 02:50:44+00:00

Document:
§114.2 Prohibitions on contributions, expenditures and electioneering communications.
§114.3 Disbursements for communications to the restricted class in connection with a Federal election.
§114.4 Disbursements for communications by corporations and labor organizations beyond the restricted class in connection with a Federal election.
§114.7 Membership organizations, cooperatives, or corporations without capital stock.
§114.9 Use of corporate or labor organization facilities.
§114.10 Corporations and labor organizations making independent expenditures and electioneering communications.
§114.12 Incorporation of political committees; payment of fringe benefits.
§114.13 Use of meeting rooms.
Authority: 52 U.S.C. 30101(8), 30101(9), 30102, 30104, 30107(a)(8), 30111(a)(8), 30118.
(1) The terms contribution and expenditure shall include any direct or indirect payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money, or any services, or anything of value (except a loan of money by a State bank, a federally chartered depository institution (including a national bank) or a depository institution whose deposits and accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration, if such loan is made in accordance with 11 CFR 100.82(a) through (d)) to any candidate, political party or committee, organization, or any other person in connection with any election to any of the offices referred to in 11 CFR 114.2 (a) or (b) as applicable.
(v) The sale of any food or beverage by a corporate vendor for use in a candidate's campaign or for use by a political committee of a political party at a charge less than the normal or comparable commercial rate, if the charge is at least equal to the costs of such food or beverage to the vendor, to the extent that: The aggregate value of such discount by the vendor on behalf of a single candidate does not exceed $1,000 with respect to any single election; and on behalf of all political committees of each political party does not exceed $2,000 in a calendar year.
(x) Any activity that is specifically permitted by part 114, but this exception does not apply to activities permitted by 11 CFR 114.3(c)(4), 114.4(a), (c)(1)-(6), and (d), and 114.10(a), other than as provided specifically in those sections.
(b) Establishment, administration, and solicitation costs means the cost of office space, phones, salaries, utilities, supplies, legal and accounting fees, fund-raising and other expenses incurred in setting up and running a separate segregated fund established by a corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock.
(c) Executive or administrative personnel means individuals employed by a corporation or labor organization who are paid on a salary rather than hourly basis and who have policymaking, managerial, professional, or supervisory responsibilities.
(ii) Individuals following the recognized professions, such as lawyers and engineers.
(iv) Individuals who may be paid by the corporation or labor organization, such as consultants, but who are not employees, within the meaning of 26 CFR 31.3401(c)-1, of the corporation or labor organization for the purpose of income withholding tax on employee wages under Internal Revenue Code of 1954, section 3402.
(3) Individuals on commission may be considered executive or administrative personnel if they have policymaking, managerial, professional, or supervisory responsibility and if the individuals are employees, within the meaning of 26 CFR 31.3401(c)-1 of the corporation for the purpose of income withholding tax on employee wages under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, section 3402.
(4) The Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 201, et seq. and the regulations issued pursuant to that Act, 29 CFR part 541, may serve as a guideline in determining whether individuals have policymaking, managerial, professional, or supervisory responsibilities.
(d) Labor organization means any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representative committee or plan, in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work.
(vi) Is not organized primarily for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election, or election, of any individual to Federal office.
(iii) Have a significant organizational attachment to the membership organization which includes: affirmation of membership on at least an annual basis; and direct participatory rights in the governance of the organization. For example, such rights could include the right to vote directly or indirectly for at least one individual on the membership organization's highest governing board; the right to vote directly for organization officers; the right to vote on policy questions where the highest governing body of the membership organization is obligated to abide by the results; the right to approve the organization's annual budget; or the right to participate directly in similar aspects of the organization's governance.
(3) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (e)(2) of this section, the Commission may determine, on a case-by-case basis, that persons who do not precisely meet the requirements of the general rule, but have a relatively enduring and independently significant financial or organizational attachment to the organization, may be considered members for purposes of this section. For example, student members who pay a lower amount of dues while in school, long term dues paying members who qualify for lifetime membership status with little or no dues obligation, and retired members of the organization may be considered members for purposes of these rules.
(4) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section, members of a local union are considered to be members of any national or international union of which the local union is a part and of any federation with which the local, national, or international union is affiliated.
(5) In the case of a membership organization which has a national federation structure or has several levels, including, for example, national, state, regional and/or local affiliates, a person who qualifies as a member of any entity within the federation or of any affiliate by meeting the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section shall also qualify as a member of all affiliates for purposes of this part. The factors set forth at 11 CFR 100.5 (g)(2), (3) and (4) shall be used to determine whether entities are affiliated for purposes of this paragraph.
(6) The status of a membership organization, and of members, for purposes of this part, shall be determined pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section and not by provisions of state law governing trade associations, cooperatives, corporations without capital stock, or labor organizations.
(f) Method of facilitating the making of contributions means the manner in which the contributions are received or collected such as, but not limited to, payroll deduction or checkoff systems, other periodic payment plans, or return envelopes enclosed in a solicitation request.
(g) Method of soliciting voluntary contributions means the manner in which the solicitation is undertaken including, but not limited to, mailings, oral requests for contributions, and hand distribution of pamphlets.
(h) Stockholder means a person who has a vested beneficial interest in stock, has the power to direct how that stock shall be voted, if it is voting stock, and has the right to receive dividends.
(i) Voluntary contributions are contributions which have been obtained by the separate segregated fund of a corporation or labor organization in a manner which is in compliance with §114.5(a) and which is in accordance with other provisions of the Act.
(a) National banks and corporations organized by authority of any law of Congress are prohibited from making a contribution, as defined in 11 CFR 114.1(a), in connection with any election to any political office, including local, State and Federal offices, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office, including any local, State or Federal office. National banks and corporations organized by authority of any law of Congress are prohibited from making expenditures as defined in 11 CFR 114.1(a) for communications to those outside the restricted class expressly advocating the election or defeat of one or more clearly identified candidate(s) or the candidates of a clearly identified political party, with respect to an election to any political office, including any local, State, or Federal office.
(1) Such national banks and corporations may engage in the activities permitted by 11 CFR part 114, except to the extent that such activity constitutes a contribution, expenditure, or electioneering communication or is foreclosed by provisions of law other than the Act.
(2) The provisions of 11 CFR part 114 apply to the activities of a national bank, or a corporation organized by any law of Congress, in connection with local, State and Federal elections.
(b) Any corporation whatever or any labor organization is prohibited from making a contribution as defined in 11 CFR part 100, subpart B. Any corporation whatever or any labor organization is prohibited from making a contribution as defined in 11 CFR 114.1(a) in connection with any Federal election.
Note to paragraph (b): Pursuant to SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686 (D.C. Cir. 2010) (en banc), and Carey v. FEC, 791 F. Supp. 2d 121 (D.D.C. 2011), corporations and labor organizations may make contributions to nonconnected political committees that make only independent expenditures, or to separate accounts maintained by nonconnected political committees for making only independent expenditures, notwithstanding 11 CFR 114.2(b) and 11 CFR 114.10(a). The Commission has not conducted a rulemaking in response to these cases.
(c) Disbursements by corporations and labor organizations for the election-related activities described in 11 CFR 114.3 and 114.4 will not cause those activities to be contributions when coordinated with any candidate, candidate's agent, candidate's authorized committee(s) or any party committee to the extent permitted in those sections. Coordination beyond that described in 11 CFR 114.3 and 114.4 shall not cause subsequent activities directed at the restricted class to be considered contributions. However, such coordination may be considered evidence that could negate the independence of subsequent communications to those outside the restricted class by the corporation, labor organization or its separate segregated fund, and could result in an in-kind contribution. See 11 CFR 100.16 regarding independent expenditures and coordination with candidates.
(d) A candidate, political committee, or other person is prohibited from knowingly accepting or receiving any contribution prohibited by this section.
(e) No officer or director of any corporation or any national bank, and no officer of any labor organization shall consent to any contribution or expenditure by the corporation, national bank, or labor organization prohibited by this section.
(f) Facilitating the making of contributions. (1) Corporations and labor organizations (including officers, directors or other representatives acting as agents of corporations and labor organizations) are prohibited from facilitating the making of contributions to candidates or political committees, other than to the separate segregated funds of the corporations and labor organizations. Facilitation means using corporate or labor organization resources or facilities to engage in fundraising activities in connection with any federal election, such as activities which go beyond the limited exemptions set forth in 11 CFR part 100, subparts B and C, part 100, subparts D and E, 114.9(a) through (c) and 114.13. A corporation does not facilitate the making of a contribution to a candidate or political committee if it provides goods or services in the ordinary course of its business as a commercial vendor in accordance with 11 CFR part 116 at the usual and normal charge.
(iv) Using coercion, such as the threat of a detrimental job action, the threat of any other financial reprisal, or the threat of force, to urge any individual to make a contribution or engage in fundraising activities on behalf of a candidate or political committee.
(ii) Collecting and forwarding contributions earmarked to a candidate in accordance with 11 CFR 110.6.
(iii) Soliciting contributions earmarked for a candidate that are to be collected and forwarded by the corporation's or labor organization's separate segregated fund, to the extent such contributions also are treated as contributions to and by the separate segregated fund.
(5) Facilitating the making of contributions also does not include the provision of incidental services by a corporation to collect and forward contributions from its employee stockholders and executive and administrative personnel to the separate segregated fund of a trade association of which the corporation is a member, including collection through a payroll deduction or check-off system, pursuant to 11 CFR 114.8(e)(4).
(a) General. (1) Corporations and labor organizations may make communications on any subject, including communications containing express advocacy, to their restricted class or any part of that class. Corporations and labor organizations may also make the communications permitted under 11 CFR 114.4 to their restricted class or any part of that class. The activities permitted under this section may involve election-related coordination with candidates and political committees. See 11 CFR 100.16 and 114.2(c) regarding independent expenditures and coordination with candidates.
(2) Incorporated membership organizations, incorporated trade associations, incorporated cooperatives and corporations without capital stock may make communications to their restricted class, or any part of that class as permitted in paragraphs (a)(1) and (c) of this section.
(b) Reporting communications containing express advocacy to the restricted class. Disbursements for communications expressly advocating the election or defeat of one or more clearly identified candidate(s) made by a corporation, including a corporation described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, or labor organization to its restricted class shall be reported in accordance with 11 CFR 100.134(a) and 104.6.
(c) Communications containing express advocacy. Communications containing express advocacy which may be made to the restricted class include, but are not limited to, the examples set forth in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4) of this section.
(ii) The material constitutes a communication of the views of the corporation or the labor organization, and is not the republication or reproduction, in whole or in part, of any broadcast, transcript or tape or any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, his or her campaign committees, or their authorized agents. A corporation or labor organization may, under this section, use brief quotations from speeches or other materials of a candidate that demonstrate the candidate's position as part of the corporation's or labor organization's expression of its own views.
(2) Candidate and party appearances. (i) A corporation may allow a candidate, candidate's representative or party representative to address its restricted class at a meeting, convention or other function of the corporation, but is not required to do so. A labor organization may allow a candidate or party representative to address its restricted class at a meeting, convention, or other function of the labor organization, but is not required to do so. A corporation or labor organization may bar other candidates for the same office or a different office and their representatives, and representatives of other parties addressing the restricted class. A corporation or labor organization may allow the presence of employees outside the restricted class of the corporation or labor organization who are necessary to administer the meeting, other guests of the corporation or labor organization who are being honored or speaking or participating in the event, and representatives of the news media.
(ii) The candidate, candidate's representative or party representative may ask for contributions to his or her campaign or party, or ask that contributions to the separate segregated fund of the corporation or labor organization be designated for his or her campaign or party. The incidental solicitation of persons outside the corporation's or labor organization's restricted class who may be present at the meeting as permitted by this section will not be a violation of 11 CFR part 114. The candidate's representative or party representative (other than an officer, director or other representative of a corporation or official, member or employee of a labor organization) or the candidate, may accept contributions before, during or after the appearance at the meeting, convention or other function of the corporation or labor organization.
(iii) The corporation or labor organization may suggest that members of its restricted class contribute to the candidate or party committee, but the collection of contributions by any officer, director or other representative of the corporation or labor organization before, during, or after the appearance while at the meeting, is an example of a prohibited facilitation of contributions under 11 CFR 114.2(f).
(B) Allowing all representatives of the news media to cover or carry the appearance, through the use of pooling arrangements if necessary.
(3) Phone banks. A corporation or a labor organization may establish and operate phone banks to communicate with its restricted class, urging them to register and/or vote for a particular candidate or candidates, or to register with a particular political party.
(4) Registration and get-out-the-vote drives. (i) A corporation or labor organization may conduct voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives aimed at its restricted class, except as provided in paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this section. Voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives include providing transportation to the place of registration and to the polls. Such drives may include communications containing express advocacy, such as urging individuals to register with a particular party or to vote for a particular candidate or candidates.
(ii) Disbursements for a voter registration or get-out-the-vote drive conducted under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section are not contributions or expenditures if the drive is nonpartisan. See 52 U.S.C. 30118(b)(2)(B). A drive is nonpartisan if it is conducted so that information and other assistance regarding registering or voting, including transportation and other services offered, is not withheld or refused on the basis of support for or opposition to particular candidates or a particular political party.
(iii) A corporation or labor organization may make disbursements to conduct voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives that are aimed at its restricted class and that do not qualify as nonpartisan under paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section, provided that the disbursements do not constitute coordinated expenditures as defined in 11 CFR 109.20, coordinated communications as defined in 11 CFR 109.21, or contributions as defined in 11 CFR part 100, subpart B. See also note to 11 CFR 114.2(b), 114.10(a).
(a) General. A corporation or labor organization may communicate beyond the restricted class in accordance with this section. Communications that a corporation or labor organization may make only to its employees (including its restricted class) and their families, but not to the general public, are set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. Any communications that a corporation or labor organization may make to the general public under paragraph (c) of this section may also be made to the corporation's or labor organization's restricted class and to other employees and their families. Communications that a corporation or labor organization may make only to its restricted class are set forth at 11 CFR 114.3. The activities described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section may be coordinated with candidates and political committees only to the extent permitted by this section. For the otherwise applicable regulations regarding independent expenditures and coordination with candidates, see 11 CFR 100.16, 109.21, and 114.2(c). Voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives as described in paragraph (d) of this section must not include coordinated expenditures as defined in 11 CFR 109.20, coordinated communications as defined in 11 CFR 109.21, or contributions as defined in 11 CFR part 100, subpart B. See also note to 11 CFR 114.2(b), 114.10(a). Incorporated membership organizations, incorporated trade associations, incorporated cooperatives, and corporations without capital stock will be treated as corporations for the purpose of this section.
(b) Communications by a corporation or labor organization to employees beyond its restricted class—(1) Candidate and party appearances on corporate premises or at a meeting, convention or other function. Corporations may permit candidates, candidates' representatives or representatives of political parties on corporate premises or at a meeting, convention, or other function of the corporation to address or meet its restricted class and other employees of the corporation and their families, in accordance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (b)(1)(viii) of this section. Other guests of the corporation who are being honored or speaking or participating in the event and representatives of the news media may be present. A corporation may bar all candidates, candidates' representatives and representatives of political parties from addressing or meeting its restricted class and other employees of the corporation and their families on corporate premises or at any meeting, convention or other function of the corporation.
(viii) Representatives of the news media may be allowed to be present during a candidate, candidate representative or party representative appearance under this section, in accordance with the procedures set forth at 11 CFR 114.3(c)(2)(iv).
(2) Candidate and party appearances on labor organization premises or at a meeting, convention or other function. A labor organization may permit candidates, candidates' representatives or representatives of political parties on the labor organization's premises or at a meeting, convention, or other function of the labor organization to address or meet its restricted class and other employees of the labor organization, and their families, in accordance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) (i) through (iii), (vi) through (viii), and paragraphs (b)(2) (i) and (ii) of this section. Other guests of the labor organization who are being honored or speaking or participating in the event and representatives of the news media may be present. A labor organization may bar all candidates, candidates' representatives and representatives of political parties from addressing or meeting its restricted class and other employees of the labor organization and their families on the labor organization's premises or at any meeting, convention or other function of the labor organization.
(i) The candidate's representative or party representative (other than an official, member or employee of a labor organization) or the candidate, may ask for contributions to his or her campaign or party, or ask that contributions to the separate segregated fund of the labor organization be designated for his or her campaign or party. The candidate, candidate's representative or party representative shall not accept contributions before, during or after the appearance while at the meeting, convention or other function of the labor organization, but may leave campaign materials or envelopes for members of the audience. No official, member, or employee of a labor organization or its separate segregated fund shall, either orally or in writing, solicit or direct or control contributions by members of the audience to any candidate or party representative under this section, and shall not facilitate the making of contributions to any such candidate or party. See 11 CFR 114.2(f).
(ii) A labor organization or its separate segregated fund shall not, in conjunction with any candidate or party representative appearance under this section, expressly advocate the election or defeat of any clearly identified candidate(s), and shall not promote or encourage express advocacy by its members or employees.
(c) Communications by a corporation or labor organization to the general public—(1) General. A corporation or labor organization may make independent expenditures or electioneering communications pursuant to 11 CFR 114.10. This section addresses specific communications, described in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(7) of this section, that a corporation or labor organization may make to the general public. The general public includes anyone who is not in the corporation's or labor organization's restricted class. The preparation, contents, and distribution of any of the communications described in paragraphs (2) through (6) below must not include coordinated expenditures as defined in 11 CFR 109.20, coordinated communications as defined in 11 CFR 109.21, or contributions as defined in 11 CFR part 100, subpart B. See also note to 11 CFR 114.2(b), 114.10(a).
(2) Voter registration and get-out-the-vote communications. (i) A corporation or labor organization may make voter registration and get-out-the-vote communications to the general public.
(B) The preparation and distribution of voter registration and get-out-the-vote communications is not coordinated with any candidate(s) or political party.
(3) Official registration and voting information. (i) A corporation or labor organization may distribute to the general public, or reprint in whole and distribute to the general public, any registration or voting information, such as instructional materials, that has been produced by the official election administrators.
(ii) A corporation or labor organization may distribute official registration-by-mail forms to the general public. A corporation or labor organization may distribute absentee ballots to the general public if permitted by the applicable State law.
(iii) A corporation or labor organization may donate funds to State or local government agencies responsible for the administration of elections to help defray the costs of printing or distributing voter registration or voting information and forms.
(B) The reproduction and distribution of registration or voting information and forms is not coordinated with any candidate(s) or political party.
(4) Voting records. (i) A corporation or labor organization may prepare and distribute to the general public the voting records of Members of Congress.
(B) The decision on content and the distribution of voting records is not coordinated with any candidate, group of candidates, or political party.
(5) Voter guides. (i) A corporation or labor organization may prepare and distribute to the general public voter guides, including voter guides obtained from a nonprofit organization that is described in 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or (c)(4).
(5) The voter guide and its accompanying materials do not score or rate the candidates' responses in such a way as to convey an electioneering message.
(6) Endorsements. (i) A corporation or labor organization may endorse a candidate, and may communicate the endorsement to the restricted class and the general public. The Internal Revenue Code and regulations promulgated thereunder should be consulted regarding restrictions or prohibitions on endorsements by nonprofit corporations described in 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
(B) Disbursements for any press release or press conference to announce the endorsement are de minimis. Such disbursements shall be considered de minimis if the press release and notice of the press conference are distributed only to the representatives of the news media that the corporation or labor organization customarily contacts when issuing non-political press releases or holding press conferences for other purposes.
(iii) Disbursements for announcements of endorsements to the restricted class may be coordinated pursuant to 114.3(a) and are not contributions or expenditures provided that no more than a de minimis number of copies of the publication that includes the endorsement are circulated beyond the restricted class.
(7) Candidate appearances on educational institution premises—(i) Rental of facilities at usual and normal charge. Any incorporated nonprofit educational institution exempt from federal taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), such as a school, college or university, may make its facilities available to any candidate or political committee in the ordinary course of business and at the usual and normal charge. In this event, the requirements of paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of this section are not applicable.
(B) The educational institution does not, in conjunction with the appearance, expressly advocate the election or defeat of any clearly identified candidate(s) or candidates of a clearly identified political party, and does not favor any one candidate or political party over any other in allowing such appearances.
(d) Voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives—(1) Voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives permitted. A corporation or labor organization may support or conduct voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives that are aimed at employees outside its restricted class and the general public. Voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives include providing transportation to the polls or to the place of registration.
(2) Disbursements for certain voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives not expenditures. Voter registration or get-out-the-vote drives that are conducted in accordance with paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (d)(2)(v) of this section are not expenditures.
(i) The corporation or labor organization shall not make any communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of any clearly identified candidate(s) or candidates of a clearly identified political party as part of the voter registration or get-out-the-vote drive.
(ii) The voter registration drive shall not be directed primarily to individuals previously registered with, or intending to register with, the political party favored by the corporation or labor organization. The get-out-the-vote drive shall not be directed primarily to individuals currently registered with the political party favored by the corporation or labor organization.
(iii) These services shall be made available without regard to the voter's political preference. Information and other assistance regarding registering or voting, including transportation and other services offered, shall not be withheld or refused on the basis of support for or opposition to particular candidates or a particular political party.
(iv) Individuals conducting the voter registration or get-out-the-vote drive shall not be paid on the basis of the number of individuals registered or transported who support one or more particular candidates or political party.
(v) The corporation or labor organization shall notify those receiving information or assistance of the requirements of paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section. The notification shall be made in writing at the time of the registration or get-out-the-vote drive.
(e) Incorporated membership organizations, incorporated trade associations, incorporated cooperatives and corporations without capital stock. An incorporated membership organization, incorporated trade association, incorporated cooperative or corporation without capital stock may permit candidates, candidates' representatives or representatives of political parties to address or meet members and employees of the organization, and their families, on the organization's premises or at a meeting, convention or other function of the organization, in accordance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) (i) through (viii) of this section.
(f) Candidate debates. (1) A nonprofit organization described in 11 CFR 110.13(a)(1) may use its own funds and may accept funds donated by corporations or labor organizations under paragraph (f)(3) of this section to defray costs incurred in staging candidate debates held in accordance with 11 CFR 110.13.
(2) A broadcaster (including a cable television operator, programmer or producer), bona fide newspaper, magazine or other periodical publication may use its own funds to defray costs incurred in staging public candidate debates held in accordance with 11 CFR 110.13.
(3) A corporation or labor organization may donate funds to nonprofit organizations qualified under 11 CFR 110.13(a)(1) to stage candidate debates held in accordance with 11 CFR 110.13 and 114.4(f).
(a) Voluntary contributions to a separate segregated fund. (1) A separate segregated fund is prohibited from making a contribution or expenditure by utilizing money or anything of value secured by physical force, job discrimination, financial reprisals, or the threat of force, job discrimination, or financial reprisal; or by dues, fees, or other monies required as a condition of membership in a labor organization or as a condition of employment or by monies obtained in any commercial transaction. For purposes of this section, fees or monies paid as a condition of acquiring or retaining membership or employment are monies required as a condition of membership or employment even though they are refundable upon request of the payor.
(ii) That an individual is free to contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest and the corporation or labor organization will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of the amount of their contribution or their decision not to contribute.
A corporation or labor organization or the separate segregated fund of either may not enforce any guideline for contributions.
(3) Any person soliciting an employee or member for a contribution to a separate segregated fund must inform such employee or member of the political purposes of the fund at the time of the solicitation.
(4) Any persons soliciting an employee or member for a contribution to a separate segregated fund must inform the employee or member at the time of such solicitation of his or her right to refuse to so contribute without any reprisal.
(5) Any written solicitation for a contribution to a separate segregated fund which is addressed to an employee or member must contain statements which comply with the requirements of paragraphs (a) (3) and (4) of this section, and if a guideline is suggested, statements which comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(b) Use of treasury monies. Corporations, labor organizations, membership organizations, cooperatives, or corporations without capital stock may use general treasury monies, including monies obtained in commercial transactions and dues monies or membership fees, for the establishment, administration, and solicitation of contributions to its separate segregated fund. A corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock may not use the establishment, administration, and solicitation process as a means of exchanging treasury monies for voluntary contributions.
(1) A contributor may not be paid for his or her contribution through a bonus, expense account, or other form of direct or indirect compensation.
(2) A corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock may, subject to the provisions of 39 U.S.C. 3005 and chapter 61, title 18, United States Code, utilize a raffle or other fundraising device which involves a prize, so long as State law permits and the prize is not disproportionately valuable. Dances, parties, and other types of entertainment may also be used as fundraising devices. When using raffles or entertainment to raise funds, a reasonable practice to follow is for the separate segregated fund to reimburse the corporation or labor organization for costs which exceed one-third of the money contributed.
(3) If the separate segregated fund pays any solicitation or other administrative expense from its own account, which expense could be paid for as an administrative expense by the collecting agent, the collecting agent may reimburse the separate segregated fund no later than 30 calendar days after the expense was paid by the separate segregated fund.
(iii) The fund may use membership status for intangible privileges such as allowing members only to choose the candidates to whom the fund will contribute.
(2) The fact that the separate segregated fund of a corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock is a membership group does not provide the corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock with any greater right of communication or solicitation than the corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock is otherwise granted under this part.
(d) Control of funds. A corporation, membership organization, cooperative, corporation without capital stock, or labor organization may exercise control over its separate segregated fund.
(1) A corporation or labor organization is not required to report any payment made or obligation incurred which is not a contribution or expenditure, as defined in §114.1(a), except those reporting requirements specifically set forth in this section.
(ii) The amounts paid or incurred for legal or accounting services rendered to or on behalf of a candidate or political committee solely for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Act or chapter 95 or 96 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 paid by a corporation or labor organization which is the regular employer of the individual rendering such services, shall be reported in accordance with the provisions of part 104.
(3) A separate segregated fund is subject to all other disclosure requirements of political committees as set forth in part 104.
(f) Contribution limits. Separate segregated funds are subject to the contribution limitations for political committees set forth in part 110. (See particularly §110.3).
(1) A corporation or a separate segregated fund established by a corporation is prohibited from soliciting contributions to such fund from any person other than its stockholders and their families and its executive or administrative personnel and their families. A corporation may solicit the executive or administrative personnel of its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, and affiliates and their families. For purposes of this section, the factors set forth at 11 CFR 100.5(g)(4) shall be used to determine whether an organization is an affiliate of a corporation.
(2) A labor organization, or a separate segregated fund established by a labor organization is prohibited from soliciting contributions to such a fund from any person other than its members and executive or administrative personnel, and their families.
(h) Accidental or inadvertent solicitation. Accidental or inadvertent solicitation by a corporation or labor organization, or the separate segregated fund of either, of persons apart from and beyond those whom it is permitted to solicit will not be deemed a violation, provided that such corporation or labor organization or separate segregated fund has used its best efforts to comply with the limitations regarding the persons it may solicit and that the method of solicitation is corrected forthwith after the discovery of such erroneous solicitation.
(i) Communications paid for with voluntary contributions. A separate segregated fund may, using voluntary contributions, communicate with the general public, except that such communications may not solicit contributions to a separate segregated fund established by a corporation, labor organization, membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock, unless such solicitation is permitted under paragraph (g) of this section.
(j) Acceptance of contributions. A separate segregated fund may accept contributions from persons otherwise permitted by law to make contributions.
(1) If a corporation, including its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates utilizes a payroll deduction plan, check-off system, or other plan which deducts contributions from the dividend or payroll checks of stockholders or executive or administrative personnel, the corporation shall, upon written request of the labor organization, make that method available to members of the labor organization working for the corporation, its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates, who wish to contribute to the separate segregated fund of the labor organization representing any members working for the corporation, or any of its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates. The corporation shall make the payroll deduction plan available to the labor organization at a cost sufficient only to reimburse the corporation for the actual expenses incurred thereby.
(2) If a corporation uses a computer for addressing envelopes or labels for a solicitation to its stockholders or executive or administrative personnel, the corporation shall, upon written request, program the computer to enable the labor organization to solicit its members. The corporation shall charge the labor organization a cost sufficient only to reimburse the corporation for the actual expenses incurred in programming the computers and the allocated cost of employee time relating to the work, and the materials used.
(3) If a corporation uses corporate facilities, such as a company dining room or cafeteria, for meetings of stockholders or executive or administrative personnel at which solicitations are made, the corporation shall upon written request of the labor organization allow that labor organization to use existing corporate facilities for meetings to solicit its members. The labor organization shall be required to reimburse the corporation for any actual expenses incurred thereby, such as any increase in the overhead to the corporation and any cost involved in setting up the facilities.
(4) If a corporation uses no method to solicit voluntary contributions or to facilitate the making of voluntary contributions from stockholders or executive or administrative personnel, it is not required by law to make any method available to the labor organization for its members. The corporation and the labor organization may agree upon making any lawful method available even though such agreement is not required by the Act.
(5) The availability of methods of twice yearly solicitations is subject to the provisions of §114.6(e).
(l) Methods permitted by law to labor organizations. Notwithstanding any other law, any method of soliciting voluntary contributions or of facilitating the making of voluntary contributions to a separate segregated fund established by a corporation, permitted by law to corporations with regard to stockholders and executive or administrative personnel, shall also be permitted to labor organizations with regard to their members and executive or administrative personnel.
(a) A corporation and/or its separate segregated fund may make a total of two written solicitations for contributions to its separate segregated fund per calendar year of its employees other than stockholders, executive or administrative personnel, and their families. Employees as used in this section does not include former or retired employees who are not stockholders. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the number of solicitations a corporation may make of its stockholders and executive or administrative personnel under §114.5(g).
(b) A labor organization and/or its separate segregated fund may make a total of two written solicitations per calendar year of employees who are not members of the labor organization, executive or administrative personnel, or stockholders (and their families) of a corporation in which the labor organization represents members working for the corporation. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the number of solicitations a labor organization may make of its members under §114.5(g).
(3) That persons who, in a calendar year make a single contribution of $50 or less, or multiple contributions aggregating $200 or less may maintain their anonymity by returning their contributions to the custodian.
(d) The custodial arrangement. In order to maintain the anonymity of persons who do not wish to contribute and of persons who wish to respond with a single contribution of $50 or less, or multiple contributions aggregating $200 or less in a calendar year, and to satisfy the recordkeeping provisions, the corporation, labor organization, or separate segregated fund of either shall establish a custodial arrangement for collecting the contributions under this section.
(1) The custodian for a separate segregated fund established by a corporation shall not be a stockholder, officer, executive or administrative personnel, or employee of the corporation, or an officer, or employee of its separate segregated fund. The custodian for a separate segregated fund established by a labor organization shall not be a member, officer or employee of the labor organization or its separate segregated fund.
(iv) Treat all funds which appear to be illegal in accordance with the provisions of §103.3(b).
(i) Make the records of persons making a single contribution of $50 or less, or multiple contributions aggregating $200 or less, in a calendar year, available to any person other than representatives of the Federal Election Commission or the Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate, and law enforcement officials or judicial bodies.
(iii) Provide the corporation, labor organization, or the separate segregated fund of either with any information pertaining to persons who have not contributed.
(4) The corporation, labor organization, or the separate segregated fund of either shall provide the custodian with a list of all contributions, indicating the contributor's identification and amount contributed, which have been made directly to the separate segregated fund by any person within the group of persons solicited under this section.
(5) Notwithstanding the prohibitions of paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the custodian may be employed by the separate segregated fund as its treasurer and may handle all of its contributions, provided that the custodian preserves the anonymity of the contributors as required by this section. The custodian shall file the required reports with the Federal Election Commission or the Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate. A custodian who serves as treasurer is subject to all of the duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of a treasurer under the Act, and may not participate in the decision making process whereby the separate segregated fund makes contributions and expenditures.
(e) Availability of methods. (1) A corporation or labor organization or the separate segregated fund of either may not use a payroll deduction plan, a check-off system, or other plan which deducts contributions from an employee's paycheck as a method of facilitating the making of contributions under this section.
(2) The twice yearly solicitation may only be used by a corporation or labor organization to solicit contributions to its separate segregated fund and may not be used for any other purpose.
(3) A corporation is required to make available to a labor organization representing any members working for the corporation or its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates the method which the corporation uses to solicit employees under this section during any calendar year.
(i) If the corporation uses a method to solicit any employees under this section, the corporation is required to make that method available to the labor organization to solicit the employees of the corporation who are not represented by that labor organization, and the executive or administrative personnel and the stockholders of the corporation and their families.
(ii) If the corporation does not wish to disclose the names and addresses of stockholders or employees, the corporation shall make the names and addresses of stockholders and employees available to an independent mailing service which shall be retained to make the mailing for both the corporation and the labor organization for any mailings under this section.
(iii) If the corporation makes no solicitation of employees under this section during the calendar year, the corporation is not required to make any method or any names and addresses available to any labor organization.
(4) The corporation shall notify the labor organization of its intention to make a solicitation under this section during a calendar year and of the method it will use, within a reasonable time prior to the solicitation, in order to allow the labor organization opportunity to make a similar solicitation.
(5) If there are several labor organizations representing members employed at a single corporation, its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates, the labor organizations, either singularly or jointly, may not make a combined total of more than two written solicitations per calendar year. A written solicitation may contain a request for contributions to each separate fund established by the various labor organizations making the combined mailing.
(a) Membership organizations, cooperatives, or corporations without capital stock, or separate segregated funds established by such persons may solicit contributions to the fund from members and executive or administrative personnel, and their families, of the organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock.
(b) Nothing in this section waives the prohibition on contributions to the separate segregated fund by corporations, national banks, or labor organizations which are members of a membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock.
(c) A trade association whose membership is made up in whole or in part of corporations is subject to the provisions of §114.8 when soliciting any stockholders or executive or administrative personnel of member corporations. A trade association which is a membership organization may solicit its noncorporate members under the provisions of this section.
(d) The question of whether a professional organization is a corporation is determined by the law of the State in which the professional organization exists.
(e) There is no limitation upon the number of times an organization under this section may solicit its members and executive or administrative personnel, and their families.
(f) There is no limitation under this section on the method of solicitation or the method of facilitating the making of voluntary contributions which may be used.
(g) A membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock and the separate segregated funds of the organizations are subject to the provisions in §114.5(a).
(h) A membership organization, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock may communicate with its members and executive or administrative personnel, and their families, under the provisions of §114.3.
(i) A mutual life insurance company may solicit its policyholders if the policyholders are members within the organizational structure.
(j) A membership organization, including a trade association, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock or a separate segregated fund established by such organization may not solicit contributions from the separate segregated funds established by its members. The separate segregated fund established by a membership organization, including a trade association, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock may, however, accept unsolicited contributions from the separate segregated funds established by its members.
(k)(1) A federated cooperative as defined in the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929, 12 U.S.C. 1141j, or a rural cooperative eligible for assistance under chapter 31 or title 7 of the United States Code, may solicit the members of the cooperative's regional, state or local affiliates, provided that all of the political committees established, financed, maintained or controlled by the cooperative and its regional, State or local affiliates are considered one political committee for the purposes of the limitations in 11 CFR 110.1 and 110.2.
(2) A cooperative as described in paragraph (k)(1) of this section may make communications to its members under the provisions of 11 CFR 114.3.
(a) Definition. A trade association is generally a membership organization of persons engaging in a similar or related line of commerce, organized to promote and improve business conditions in that line of commerce and not to engage in a regular business of a kind ordinarily carried on for profit, and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any member.
(b) Prohibition. Nothing in this section waives the prohibition on contributions by corporations which are members of a trade association.
(2) The member corporation has not approved a solicitation by any other trade association for the same calendar year.
(d) Separate and specific approval. (1) The member corporation must knowingly and specifically approve any solicitation for a trade association, whether the solicitation is done by the trade association, its separate segregated fund, or the corporation or any of its personnel, for contributions to the trade association's separate segregated fund.
(2) A copy of each approved request received by a trade association or its separate segregated fund shall be maintained by the trade association or its fund for three years from the year for which the approval is given.
(4) A separate authorization specifically allowing a trade association to solicit its corporate member's stockholders, and executive or administrative personnel applies through the calendar year for which it is designated. A separate authorization by the corporate member must be designated for each year during which the solicitation is to occur. This authorization may be requested and may also be received prior to the calendar year in which the solicitation is to occur.
(5) In its request to a member corporation, a trade association may indicate that it intends to solicit, for example, a limited class of the executive or administrative personnel of the member corporation, or only the executive or administrative personnel but not the stockholders of the member corporation. Moreover, in its approval, a member corporation may similarly limit any solicitation by the trade association or its separate segregated fund. In any event, a member corporation, once it has approved any solicitation—even to a limited extent—of its personnel or stockholders by a trade association or its separate segregated fund, is precluded from approving any such solicitation by another trade association or its separate segregated fund and the corporation and its personnel are precluded from soliciting the corporation's executive or administrative personnel or stockholders on behalf of another trade association or its separate segregated fund.
(e) Solicitation. (1) After a trade association has obtained the approval required in paragraph (c) of this section, there is no limit on the number of times the trade association or its separate segregated fund may solicit the persons approved by the member corporation during the calendar year to which the approval applies. The member corporation may, however, in its approval limit the number of times solicitations may be made.
(2) A member corporation which grants permission to a trade association to solicit is in no way restricted in its rights under §114.5(g) to solicit its stockholders or executive or administrative personnel and their families for contributions to the corporation's own separate segregated fund.
(3) There is no limitation on the method of soliciting voluntary contributions or the method of facilitating the making of voluntary contributions which a trade association may use.
(4) A corporation may provide incidental services to collect and forward contributions from its employee stockholders and executive and administrative personnel to the separate segregated fund of a trade association of which the corporation is a member, including a payroll deduction or check-off system, upon written request of the trade association. Any corporation that provides such incidental services, and the corporation's subsidiaries, branches, divisions, and affiliates, shall make those incidental services available to a labor organization representing any members working for the corporation or the corporation's subsidiaries, branches, divisions, or affiliates, upon written request of the labor organization and at a cost sufficient only to reimburse the corporation or the corporation's subsidiaries, branches, divisions, and affiliates, for the expenses incurred thereby.
(5) A trade association and/or its separate segregated fund is subject to the provisions of §114.5(a).
(f) Solicitation of a subsidiary corporation. If a parent corporation is a member of the trade association but its subsidiary is not, the trade association or its separate segregated fund may only solicit the parent's executive or administrative personnel and their families and the parent's stockholders and their families; it may not solicit the subsidiary's executive or administrative personnel or stockholders or their families. If a subsidiary is a member of the trade association but the parent corporation is not, the trade association or its separate segregated fund may only solicit the subsidiary's executive or administrative personnel and their families and the subsidiary's stockholders and their families; it may not solicit the parent's executive or administrative personnel or stockholders or their families. If both parent and subsidiary are members of the trade association, the executive or administrative personnel and their families and the stockholders and their families of each may be solicited.
(g) Federations of trade associations. (1) A federation of trade associations is an organization representing trade associations involved in the same or allied line of commerce. Such a federation may, subject to the following limitations, solicit the members of the federation's regional, State or local affiliates or members, provided that all of the political committees established, financed, maintained or controlled by the federation and its regional, State, or local affiliates or members are considered one political committee for the purposes of the limitations in §§110.1 and 110.2. The factors set forth at §100.5(g)(4) shall be used to determine whether an entity is a regional, State or local affiliate of a federation of trade associations.
(ii) The member association may delegate its solicitation rights to the federation.
(2) A federation is subject to the provisions of this section when soliciting the stockholders and executive or administrative personnel of the corporate members of its member associations.
(h) Communications other than solicitations. A trade association may make communications, other than solicitations, to its members and their families under the provisions of §114.3. When making communications to a member which is a corporation, the trade association may communicate with the representatives of the corporation with whom the trade association normally conducts the association's activities.
(i) Trade association employees. (1) A trade association may communicate with its executive or administrative personnel and their families under the provisions of §114.3; a trade association may communicate with its other employees under the provisions of §114.4.
(2) A trade association may solicit its executive or administrative personnel and their families under the provisions of §114.5(g); a trade association may solicit its other employees under the provisions of §114.6.
(ii) When used by stockholders other than employees during the working period, such use does not interfere with the corporation in carrying out its normal activities.
(C) The activity is not performed under coercion.
(3) A stockholder or employee who makes more than occasional, isolated, or incidental use of a corporation's facilities for individual volunteer activities in connection with a Federal election is required to reimburse the corporation within a commercially reasonable time for the normal and usual rental charge, as defined in 11 CFR 100.52(d)(2), for the use of such facilities.
(ii) When used by members other than employees during the working period, such use does not interfere with the labor organization in carrying out its normal activities.
(3) The officials, members, and employees who make more than occasional, isolated, or incidental use of a labor organization's facilities for individual volunteer activities in connection with a Federal election are required to reimburse the labor organization within a commercially reasonable time for the normal and usual rental charge, as defined in 11 CFR 100.52(d)(2), for the use of such facilities.
(c) Use of corporate or labor organization facilities to produce materials. Any person who uses the facilities of a corporation or labor organization to produce materials in connection with a Federal election is required to reimburse the corporation or labor organization within a commercially reasonable time for the normal and usual charge for producing such materials in the commercial market.
(d) Use or rental of corporate or labor organization facilities by other persons. Persons, other than those specifically mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, who make any use of corporate or labor organization facilities, such as by using telephones or typewriters or borrowing office furniture, for activity in connection with a Federal election are required to reimburse the corporation or labor organization within a commercially reasonable time in the amount of the normal and usual rental charge, as defined in 11 CFR 100.52(d)(2), for the use of the facilities.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the provisions in 11 CFR Part 114 regarding communications to and beyond a restricted class.
(a) General. Corporations and labor organizations may make independent expenditures, as defined in 11 CFR 100.16, and electioneering communications, as defined in 11 CFR 100.29. Corporations and labor organizations are prohibited from making coordinated expenditures as defined in 11 CFR 109.20, coordinated communications as defined in 11 CFR 109.21, or contributions as defined in 11 CFR part 100, subpart B.
Note to paragraph (a): Pursuant to SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686 (D.C. Cir. 2010) (en banc), and Carey v. FEC, 791 F. Supp. 2d 121 (D.D.C. 2011), corporations and labor organizations may make contributions to nonconnected political committees that make only independent expenditures, or to separate accounts maintained by nonconnected political committees for making only independent expenditures, notwithstanding 11 CFR 114.2(b) and 11 CFR 114.10(a). The Commission has not conducted a rulemaking in response to these cases.
(b) Reporting independent expenditures and electioneering communications. (1) Corporations and labor organizations that make independent expenditures aggregating in excess of $250 with respect to a given election in a calendar year shall file reports as required by 11 CFR part 114, 104.4(a), and 109.10(b)-(e).
(2) Corporations and labor organizations that make electioneering communications aggregating in excess of $10,000 in a calendar year shall file the statements required by 11 CFR 104.20(b).
(c) Non-authorization notice. Corporations or labor organizations making independent expenditures or electioneering communications shall comply with the requirements of 11 CFR 110.11.
(d) Segregated bank account. A corporation or labor organization may, but is not required to, establish a segregated bank account into which it deposits only funds donated or otherwise provided by persons other than national banks, corporations organized by authority of any law of Congress, or foreign nationals (as defined in 11 CFR 110.20(a)(3)), as described in 11 CFR 104.20(c)(7), from which it makes disbursements for electioneering communications.
(e) Activities prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(a) to carry out any activity that it is prohibited from undertaking by the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 501, et seq.
(a) A corporation may establish and administer an employee participation plan (i.e., a trustee plan) which is a political giving program in which a corporation pays the cost of establishing and administering separate bank accounts for any employee who wishes to participate. The cost of administering and establishing includes the payment of costs for a payroll deduction or check-off plan and the cost of maintaining the separate bank accounts.
(1) The employees must exercise complete control and discretion over the disbursement of the monies in their accounts.
(2) The trustee, bank, or other administrator shall not provide the corporation or its separate segregated fund any report of the source or recipient of any contribution(s) or donation(s) into or out of any account or of the amount any employee has in an account.
(3) The trustee, bank, or other administrator may provide the corporation or its separate segregated fund with a periodic report limited to information about the total number of employees in the program, the total number of funds in all the accounts combined, and the total amount of contributions made to all candidates and committees combined.
(4) No stockholder, director, or employee of the corporation or its separate segregated fund may exert pressure of any kind to induce participation in the program.
(5) No stockholder, director, or employee of the corporation or its separate segregated fund may exercise any direction or control, either oral or written, over contributions by participants in the program to any candidate, group of candidates, political party, or other person.
(b) An employee participation plan must be made available to all employees including members of a labor organization who are employees of the corporation. Communications about participation in the plan may be conducted by either the corporation or the labor organization or both.
(c) A labor organization may establish and administer an employee participation plan subject to the above provisions, except that the cost shall be borne by the labor organization.
(d) The method used to transmit employee or member contributions to the candidate or political committee may not in any manner identify the corporation or labor organization which established the employee particiption plan.
(a) An organization may incorporate and not be subject to the provisions of this part if the organization incorporates for liability purposes only, and if the organization is a political committee as defined in 11 CFR 100.5. Notwithstanding the corporate status of the political committee, the treasurer of an incorporated political committee remains personally responsible for carrying out their respective duties under the Act.
(c)(1) A corporation or labor organization may not pay the employer's share of the cost of fringe benefits, such as health and life insurance and retirement, for employees or members on leave-without-pay to participate in political campaigns of Federal candidates. The separate segregated fund of a corporation or a labor organization may pay the employer's share of fringe benefits, and such payment would be a contribution in-kind to the candidate. An employee or member may, out of unreimbursed personal funds, assure the continuity of his or her fringe benefits during absence from work for political campaigning, and such payment would not be a contribution in-kind.
(2) Service credit for periods of leave-without-pay is not considered compensation for purposes of this section if the employer normally gives identical treatment to employees placed on leave-without-pay for nonpolitical purposes.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of part 114, a corporation or labor organization which customarily makes its meeting rooms available to clubs, civic or community organizations, or other groups may make such facilities available to a political committee or candidate if the meeting rooms are made available to any candidate or political committee upon request and on the same terms given to other groups using the meeting rooms.

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