(a) Permissible uses. Any payment made under 11 CFR 9008.6 shall be used only for the following purposes:

(1) Such payment may be used to defray convention expenses (including the payment of deposits) incurred by or on behalf of the national committee receiving such payments; or

(2) Such payment may be used to repay the principal and interest, at a commercially reasonable rate, on loans the proceeds of which were used to defray convention expenses; or

(3) Such payment may be used to restore funds (including advances from the national committee to the convention committee), other than contributions to the committee for the purpose of defraying convention expenses, where such funds were used to defray convention expenses.

(4) “Convention expenses” include all expenses incurred by or on behalf of a political party's national committee or convention committee with respect to and for the purpose of conducting a presidential nominating convention or convention-related activities. Such expenses include, but are not limited to:

(i) Expenses for preparing, maintaining, and dismantling the physical site of the convention, including rental of the hall, platforms and seating, decorations, telephones, security, convention hall utilities, and other related costs;

(ii) Salaries and expenses of convention committee employees, volunteers and similar personnel, whose responsibilities involve planning, management or otherwise conducting the convention;

(iii) Salary or portion of the salary of any national committee employee for any period of time during which, as a major responsibility, that employee performs services related to the convention;

(iv) Expenses of national committee employees, volunteers or other similar personnel if those expenses were incurred in the performance of services for the convention in addition to the services normally rendered to the national committee by such personnel;

(v) Expenses for conducting meetings of or related to committees dealing with the conduct and operation of the convention, such as rules, credentials, platform, site, contests, call, arrangements and permanent organization committees, including printing materials and rental costs for meeting space.

(vi) Expenses incurred in securing a convention city and facility;

(vii) Expenses incurred in providing a transportation system in the convention city for use by delegates and other persons attending or otherwise connected with the convention;

(viii) Expenses for entertainment activities which are part of the official convention activity sponsored by the national committee, including but not limited to dinners, concerts, and receptions; except that expenses for the following activities are excluded:

(A) Entertainment activities sponsored by or on behalf of candidates for nomination to the office of President or Vice President, or State delegations;

(B) Entertainment activities sponsored by the national committee if the purpose of the activity is primarily for national committee business, such as fund-raising events, or selection of new national committee officers;

(C) Entertainment activities sponsored by persons other than the national committee; and

(D) Entertainment activities prohibited by law;

(ix) Expenses for printing convention programs, a journal of proceedings, agendas, tickets, badges, passes, and other similar publications;

(x) Administrative and office expenses for conducting the convention, including stationery, office supplies, office machines, and telephone charges; but excluded from these expenses are the cost of any services supplied by the national committee at its headquarters or principal office if such services are incidental to the convention and not utilized primarily for the convention;

(xi) Payment of the principal and interest, at a commercially reasonable rate, on loans the proceeds of which were used to defray convention expenses;

(xii) Expenses for monetary bonuses paid after the last date of the convention or gifts for national committee or convention committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention-related activities or services, provided that:

(A) Gifts for committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention-related activities or services do not exceed $150 total per individual and the total of all gifts does not exceed $20,000; and

(B) All monetary bonuses paid after the last date of the convention for committee employees and consultants in recognition of convention-related activities or services are provided for pursuant to a written contract made prior to the date of the convention and are paid no later than 30 days after the convention; and

(xiii) Expenses for producing biographical films, or similar materials, for use at the convention, about candidates for nomination or election to the office of President or Vice President, but any other political committee(s) that use part or all of the biographical films or materials shall pay the convention committee for the reasonably allocated cost of the biographical films or materials used.

(5) Any investment of public funds or any other use of public funds to generate income is permissible only if the income so generated is used to defray convention expenses. Such income, less any tax paid on it, shall be repaid to the United States Treasury as provided under 11 CFR 9008.12(b)(6).

(b) Prohibited uses.

(1) No part of any payment made under 11 CFR 9008.6 shall be used to defray the expenses of any candidate, delegate, or alternate delegate who is participating in any presidential nominating convention except that the expenses of a person participating in the convention as official personnel of the national party may be defrayed with public funds even though that person is simultaneously participating as a delegate or candidate to the convention. This part shall not prohibit candidates, delegates or alternate delegates who are participating in a presidential nominating convention from attending official party convention activities including but not limited to dinners, concerts and receptions, where such activities are paid for with public funds.

(2) Public funds shall not be used to defray any expense the incurring or payment of which violates any law of the United States or any law of the State in which such expense is incurred or paid, or any regulation prescribed under federal or State laws.

(3) Public funds shall not be used to pay civil or criminal penalties required or agreed to be paid pursuant to 52 U.S.C. 30109. Any amounts received or expended by the national committee or convention committee of a political party to pay such penalties shall not be considered contributions or expenditures, except that such amounts shall be reported in accordance with 11 CFR part 104 and shall be subject to the prohibitions of 11 CFR 110.4, 110.19(b)(2), and 110.20 and parts 114 and 115.

(c) Lost, misplaced, or stolen items. The cost of lost, misplaced, or stolen items may not be defrayed with public funds under certain circumstances. Factors considered by the Commission in making this determination shall include, but not be limited to, whether the committee demonstrates that it made conscientious efforts to safeguard the missing equipment; whether the committee sought or obtained insurance on the items; whether the committee filed a police report; the type of equipment involved; and the number and value of items that were lost.

[59 FR 33616, June 29, 1994, as amended at 64 FR 49363, Sept. 13, 1999; 67 FR 78683, Dec. 26, 2002; 68 FR 47416, Aug. 8, 2003; 79 FR 77851, Dec. 29, 2014]