The hearing will be on March 14 at 10 a.m. at the FEC's hearing room. Last year the FEC announced three new proposed rules regarding use of the Internet in federal campaigns. The proposal came after its 1999 Notice of Inquiry on a wide range of issues relating to Internet-based election activity by individuals, corporations, nonprofits and labor organizations. The proposed rules are largely responsive to the more than 1,300 public comments received in the 1999 inquiry.

The new rules would cover the following areas:

• Volunteers: Proposed 11 CFR 117.1
  
  The rules will not regulate volunteers that use their personal computer and Internet access for federal campaign activity.
  
  
• Hyperlinks: Proposed 11 CFR 117.2
  
  Under this proposed rule links to candidate and party websites from the sites of corporations, nonprofits and labor unions will not be considered campaign contributions if the link or surrounding text does not contain "vote for" or "vote against" type language and if there is no charge or if only a nominal amount is charged.
  
  
• Endorsement Press Releases: Proposed 11 CFR 117.3
  
  Current regulations limit corporate and nonprofit communications for or against candidates to their members and executive personnel and their families. However, the rules have allowed these organizations to announce candidate endorsements to the press. The proposed rule would allow posting press releases about candidate endorsements on the public portion of a group's web site if they are posted on the same basis as other press releases and limited to an announcement of the endorsement and the reasons for it.

Any party that wishes to testify should contact:

Rosemary C. Smith
Assistant General Counsel
c/o FEC
999 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463

Or fax to 202/219-3923 or submit electronically at internetnprm@fec.gov.

View comments filed in this proceeding, including those of OMB Watch on the FEC website.