Notices. Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold

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BILLING CODE M FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION [Notice 2010-02] Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold AGENCY: Federal Election Commission. ACTION: Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold. SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (“FECA” or “the Act”), the Federal Election Commission (“FEC” or “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, 2010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Greg J. Scott or Mr. Kevin R. Salley, 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, 2 U.S.C. 431 *et seq.,* as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 1 and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, 2 coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(2) and (3)(A), (B)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled by lobbyists (2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index. *See* 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3) and 441a(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. 1 Public Law 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002). 2 Public Law 110-81, 121 Stat. 735 (Sep. 14, 2007). Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2010 Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(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 4.35110, which reflects 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 1974). 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 that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner. 3 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 (4.35110), rounding to the nearest $100. *See* 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(B), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2010 general elections for House candidates in these States is $43,500. 3 Currently, these States include 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/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml* and *http://about.dc.gov/statehood.asp.* 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, 4.35110 (which totals $87,000); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.35110. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. *See* 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(A), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2010 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure limit for 2010 House elections in states with only one congressional district 4 is $87,000. 4 Currently, these States are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. *See* * http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.* Senate General Election Expenditure Limitations—2010 Elections State VAP (in thousands) VAP × .02 × the price index (4.35110) Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $87,000) Alabama 3,580 $311,500 $311,500 Alaska 515 44,800 87,000 Arizona 4,864 423,300 423,300 Arkansas 2,180 189,700 189,700 California 27,526 2,395,400 2,395,400 Colorado 3,797 330,400 330,400 Connecticut 2,710 235,800 235,800 Delaware 678 59,000 87,000 Florida 14,480 1,260,100 1,260,100 Georgia 7,245 630,500 630,500 Hawaii 1,005 87,500 87,500 Idaho 1,127 98,100 98,100 Illinois 9,733 847,000 847,000 Indiana 4,834 420,700 420,700 Iowa 2,295 199,700 199,700 Kansas 2,114 184,000 184,000 Kentucky 3,300 287,200 287,200 Louisiana 3,369 293,200 293,200 Maine 1,047 91,100 91,100 Maryland 4,348 378,400 378,400 Massachusetts 5,161 449,100 449,100 Michigan 7,620 663,100 663,100 Minnesota 4,005 348,500 348,500 Mississippi 2,184 190,100 190,100 Missouri 4,556 396,500 396,500 Montana 755 65,700 87,000 Nebraska 1,345 117,000 117,000 Nevada 1,962 170,700 170,700 New Hampshire 1,036 90,200 90,200 New Jersey 6,662 579,700 579,700 New Mexico 1,499 130,400 130,400 New York 15,117 1,315,500 1,315,500 North Carolina 7,103 618,100 618,100 North Dakota 503 43,800 87,000 Ohio 8,828 768,200 768,200 Oklahoma 2,769 241,000 241,000 Oregon 2,953 257,000 257,000 Pennsylvania 9,830 855,400 855,400 Rhode Island 826 71,900 87,000 South Carolina 3,481 302,900 302,900 South Dakota 613 53,300 87,000 Tennessee 4,803 418,000 418,000 Texas 17,886 1,556,500 1,556,500 Utah 1,916 166,700 166,700 Vermont 495 43,100 87,000 Virginia 6,035 525,200 525,200 Washington 5,095 443,400 443,400 West Virginia 1,433 124,700 124,700 Wisconsin 4,345 378,100 378,100 Wyoming 412 35,900 87,000 Contribution Limitations for Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and for Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2009-2010 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 for the 2009-2010 election cycle: Statutory provision Statutory amount 2009-2010 Limitation 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) $2,000 $2,400 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B) $25,000 $30,400 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A) $37,500 $45,600 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B) $57,500 (of which no more than $37,500 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties) $69,900 (of which no more than $45,600 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties) 2 U.S.C. 441a(h) $35,000 $42,600 Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2010 The Act, as amended by HLOGA, 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 1.06418, 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* 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A) and (B), 441a(c)(1)(B) and 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.06418), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2010 is $16,000, unchanged from 2009. On behalf of the Commission. Dated: February 19, 2010. Matthew S. Petersen, Chairman, Federal Election Commission. [FR Doc. 2010-3688 Filed 2-23-10; 8:45 am]

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