WASHINGTON — Big-money political groups don’t have to worry about the IRS imposing new rules on their campaign activities before the 2016 presidential election.

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said Thursday the tax agency won’t adopt any new regulations for the political activities of tax-exempt groups until 2017. He said the IRS doesn’t want to be seen as trying to influence the outcome of the election.

In 2013, the Obama administration proposed new restrictions on big-money political outfits such as Crossroads GPS, which was co-founded by GOP strategist Karl Rove, and the pro-Obama Priorities USA. The IRS, however, pulled the regulations and started re-working them after an unprecedented backlash from both conservatives and liberals.

Koskinen said new regulations could be unveiled next year, but they wouldn’t take effect until after the election.