Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/IB000101.asp
Timestamp: 2017-02-24 23:54:06
Document Index: 765520518

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1051', '§1004', '§ 1004', '§1014', '§2', '§1014', '§4', '§12', '§1019', '§1', '§15', '§1019', '§4', '§16', '§1020', '§4', '§1', '§2', '§1020', '§5', '§4', '§1062', '§3', '§39', '§1062', '§4', '§49', '§1062', '§8', '§31', '§1062', '§32', '§ 1062', '§1122', '§3', '§1124', '§50', '§ 1124', '§1125', '§2', '§17', '§1125', '§2', '§11', '§24', '§1125', '§2', '§14', '§1125', '§3', '§1', '§6', '§1125', '§3', '§1125', '§5', '§5', '§1125', '§6', '§12', '§24', '§1125', '§7', '§15', '§24', '§7', '§1125', '§7', '§1125', '§8', '§6', '§1125', '§8', '§1125', '§10', '§56', '§62', '§1125', '§13', '§9', '§199', '§ 199']

IB0001, LD 806, item 1, An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws
IB0001LD 806
Session - 127th Maine Legislature LR 1936Item 1
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA c. 25, sub-c. 3 is enacted to read: SUBCHAPTER 3
§ 1051. Gubernatorial transition committee 1. Definitions. As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Commission" means the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.
B. "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the day after the general election for any state, county or municipal office and ending on the day of the next general election for that office.
3. Registration with the commission and financial disclosure statement. A committee established pursuant to this section shall register and file a financial disclosure statement with the commission as required by this subsection. A. The committee shall register with the commission within 10 days after appointment of a treasurer. The registration must include the name and mailing addresses of the members of the committee, its treasurer and all individuals who are raising funds for the committee.
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1004-C is enacted to read: § 1004-C. Enhanced penalties for violations with aggravating circumstances Notwithstanding any maximum penalty otherwise set forth in this chapter, when assessing a penalty or monetary sanction, the commission may double the authorized penalty or monetary sanction for a violation occurring less than 28 days prior to an election day and may triple the authorized penalty or monetary sanction for a violation occurring less than 14 days prior to an election day.
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §1014, sub-§2-B is enacted to read: 2-B. Top 3 funders; independent expenditures. A communication that is funded by an entity making an independent expenditure as defined in section 1019-B, subsection 1 must conspicuously include the following statement: "The top 3 funders of (name of entity that made the independent expenditure) are (names of top 3 funders)."
A. For purposes of this subsection, "funder" includes:
B. If funders have given equal amounts, creating a tie in the ranking of the top 3 funders, the tie must be broken by naming the tying funders in chronological order of the receipt of funding until 3 funders are included in the statement. If the chronological order cannot be discerned, the entity making the independent expenditure may choose which of the tying funders to include in the statement. In no case may a communication be required to include the names of more than 3 funders. C. The statement required under this subsection is not required to include the name of any funder who has provided less than $1,000 to the entity making the independent expenditure since the day following the most recent general election day.
D. If only one or 2 funders must be included pursuant to this subsection, the communication must identify the number of funders as "top funder" or "top 2 funders" as appropriate. If there are no funders required to be included under this subsection, no statement is required.
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §1014, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §12, is further amended to read:4. Enforcement. A violation of this section may result in a civil penalty of no more than $5,000 100% of the amount of the expenditure in violation, except that an expenditure for yard signs lacking the required information may result in a maximum civil penalty of $200. In assessing a civil penalty, the commission shall consider, among other things, how widely the communication was disseminated, whether the violation was intentional, whether the violation occurred as the result of an error by a printer or other paid vendor and whether the communication conceals or misrepresents the identity of the person who financed it. If the person who financed the communication or who committed the violation corrects the violation within 10 days after receiving notification of the violation from the commission by adding the missing information to the communication, the commission may decide to assess no civil penalty.
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §1019-B, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2013, c. 334, §15, is further amended to read:B. Is presumed to be any expenditure made to design, produce or disseminate a communication that names or depicts a clearly identified candidate and is disseminated during the 21 28 days, including election day, before a primary election; or during the 35 days, including election day, before a general or special election ; or from Labor Day to a general election day.
Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §1019-B, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2013, c. 334, §16, is further amended to read:4. Report required; content; rules. A person, party committee, political committee or political action committee that makes independent expenditures aggregating in excess of $100 during any one candidate's election shall file a report with the commission. In the case of a municipal election, the report must be filed with the municipal clerk.A. A report required by this subsection must be filed with the commission according to a reporting schedule that the commission shall establish by rule that takes into consideration existing campaign finance reporting requirements. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 7. 21-A MRSA §1020-A, sub-§4-A, ¶¶A to C, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 714, Pt. PP, §1 and affected by §2, are amended to read:A. For the first violation, 1% 2%;
Sec. 8. 21-A MRSA §1020-A, sub-§5-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 558, §§4 and 5, is further amended to read:5-A. Maximum penalties. Penalties assessed under this subchapter may not exceed:A. Five thousand dollars for reports required under section 1017, subsection 2, paragraph B, C, D, E or H; section 1017, subsection 3-A, paragraph B, C, D, D-1 or F; and section 1017, subsection 4 , except that if the financial activity reported late exceeds $50,000, the maximum penalty is 100% of the amount reported late;
Sec. 9. 21-A MRSA §1062-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2007, c. 443, Pt. A, §39, is further amended to read:3. Basis for penalties. The penalty for late filing of a report required under this subchapter is a percentage of the total contributions or expenditures for the filing period, whichever is greater, multiplied by the number of calendar days late, as follows:A. For the first violation, 1% 2%;
Sec. 10. 21-A MRSA §1062-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §49, is further amended to read:4. Maximum penalties. The maximum penalty under this subchapter is $10,000 for reports required under section 1056-B or section 1059, except that if the financial activity reported late exceeds $50,000, the maximum penalty is 1/5 100% of the amount reported late.
Sec. 11. 21-A MRSA §1062-A, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 190, Pt. A, §31, is further amended to read:8-A. Penalties for failure to file report. The commission may assess a civil penalty for failure to file a report required by this subchapter. The maximum penalty for failure to file a report required under section 1056-B or section 1059 is $10,000 or the amount of financial activity not reported, whichever is greater.
Sec. 12. 21-A MRSA §1062-B, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 334, §32, is amended to read:§ 1062-B. Failure to keep records A committee that fails to keep records required by this chapter may be assessed a fine of up to $2,500 $10,000 or the amount of financial activity for which no records were kept, whichever is greater. In assessing a fine, the commission shall consider, among other things, whether the violation was intentional, whether the violation occurred as the result of an error by someone outside the control of the committee, whether the committee intended to conceal its financial activity, the amount of financial activity that was not documented and the level of experience of the committee's volunteers and staff.
Sec. 13. 21-A MRSA §1122, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 3-A. Election cycle. "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the day after the general election for any state, county or municipal office and ending on the day of the next general election for that office.
Sec. 14. 21-A MRSA §1124, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §50, is further amended to read:§ 1124. The Maine Clean Election Fund established; sources of funding 1. Established. The Maine Clean Election Fund is established to finance the election campaigns of certified Maine Clean Election Act candidates running for Governor, State Senator and State Representative and to pay administrative and enforcement costs of the commission related to this Act. The fund is a special, dedicated, nonlapsing fund and any interest generated by the fund is credited to the fund. The commission shall administer the fund.
2. Sources of funding. The following must be deposited in the fund:A. The qualifying contributions and additional qualifying contributions required under section 1125 when those contributions are submitted to the commission;
Sec. 15. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2, ¶¶B and C, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §17, are amended to read:B. One thousand five hundred Three thousand dollars for a candidate for the State Senate; or
Sec. 16. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2-A, ¶C, as amended by PL 2009, c. 302, §11 and affected by §24, is further amended to read:C. Upon requesting certification, a participating candidate shall file a report of all seed money contributions and expenditures. If the candidate is certified, any unspent seed money will be deducted from the amount distributed to the candidate as provided in subsection 8-A 8-F.
Sec. 17. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2-B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 524, §14, is repealed.
Sec. 18. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. F, §1 and c. 443, Pt. B, §6, is further amended to read:A. For a gubernatorial candidate, at least 3,250 3,200 verified registered voters of this State must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that candidate;
Sec. 19. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 3-A. Additional qualifying contributions. Participating candidates may collect and submit to the commission additional qualifying contributions at the times specified in subsection 8-E. The commission shall credit a candidate with either one qualifying contribution or one additional qualifying contribution, but not both, from any one contributor during the same election cycle. If any candidate collects and submits to the commission qualifying contributions or additional qualifying contributions that cannot be credited pursuant to this subsection, those qualifying contributions or additional qualifying contributions may be refunded to the contributor or deposited into the Maine Clean Election Fund at the discretion of the candidate.
Sec. 20. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§5, ¶C-1, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 363, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 21. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§6-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 302, §12 and affected by §24, is further amended to read:6-A. Assisting a person to become an opponent. A candidate or a person who later becomes a candidate and who is seeking certification under subsection 5, or an agent of that candidate, may not assist another person in qualifying as a candidate for the same office if such a candidacy would result in the distribution of revenues under subsections 7 and 8-A 8-F for certified candidates in a contested election.
Sec. 22. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2009, c. 302, §15 and affected by §24 and amended by c. 363, §7, is further amended to read:7. Timing of initial fund distribution. The commission shall distribute to certified candidates revenues from the fund in amounts determined under subsection 8-A subsections 8-B to 8-D in the following manner.A. Within 3 days after certification, for candidates certified prior to March 15th of the election year, revenues from the fund must be distributed as if the candidates are in an uncontested primary election.
Sec. 23. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§7-B is enacted to read: 7-B. Timing of supplemental fund distribution. The following provisions govern the timing of supplemental fund distributions. A. For gubernatorial candidates, any supplemental primary or general election distributions made pursuant to subsection 8-B must be made within 3 business days of certification by the commission of the required number of additional qualifying contributions.
Sec. 24. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 558, §§6 and 7, is repealed.
Sec. 25. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§§8-B to 8-F are enacted to read: 8-B. Distributions to participating gubernatorial candidates. Distributions from the fund to participating gubernatorial candidates must be made as follows. A. For an uncontested primary election, the total distribution of revenues is $200,000 per candidate.
8-C. Distributions to participating candidates for State Senate. Distributions from the fund to participating candidates for the State Senate must be made as follows. A. For an uncontested primary election, the total distribution of revenues is $2,000 per candidate.
8-D. Distributions to participating candidates for State House of Representatives. Distributions from the fund to participating candidates for the State House of Representatives must be made as follows. A. For an uncontested primary election, the total distribution of revenues is $500 per candidate.
8-E. Collection and submission of additional qualifying contributions. Participating candidates may collect and submit additional qualifying contributions in accordance with subsection 3-A to the commission as follows: A. For gubernatorial candidates, no earlier than October 15th of the year before the year of the election and no later than 3 weeks before election day; and
Sec. 26. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §56 and affected by §62, is further amended to read:10. Candidate not enrolled in a party. An unenrolled candidate for the Legislature who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 20th preceding the primary election and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as an uncontested primary election candidate and a general election candidate as specified in subsections 7 , 8-C and 8-A 8-D. Revenues for the general election must be distributed to the candidate no later than 3 days after certification as specified in subsection 7. An unenrolled candidate for Governor who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsections 2-B and subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 1st preceding the primary election and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as an uncontested primary election gubernatorial candidate and a general election gubernatorial candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A 8-B. Revenues for the general election must be distributed to the candidate for Governor no later than 3 days after the primary election results are certified as specified in subsection 7.
Sec. 27. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§13-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 558, §9, is further amended to read:13-A. Distributions not to exceed amount in fund. The commission may not distribute revenues to certified candidates in excess of the total amount of money deposited in the fund as set forth in section 1124. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, if the commission determines that the revenues in the fund are insufficient to meet distributions under subsection 8-A 8-F, the commission may permit certified candidates to accept and spend contributions, reduced by any seed money contributions, aggregating no more than the applicable contribution limits established by the commission pursuant to section 1015, up to the applicable amounts set forth in subsection 8-A 8-F according to rules adopted by the commission. This subsection takes effect September 1, 2011.
Sec. 28. 36 MRSA §199-E is enacted to read: § 199-E. Elimination of certain tax expenditures No later than 45 days after the effective date of this section the committee shall report out to the Legislature legislation to permanently eliminate corporate tax expenditures totaling $6,000,000 per biennium, prioritizing for elimination low-performing, unaccountable tax expenditures with little or no demonstrated economic development benefit as determined by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability established in Title 3, section 991.
summary This initiated bill makes the following changes to the laws governing campaign finance reporting and disclosure and the Maine Clean Election Act.
1. It authorizes the establishment of gubernatorial transition committees for the purpose of raising money to finance a Governor-elect's inauguration and transition into office and establishes requirements regarding disclosure and acceptance of donations from persons involved in lobbying. 2. It amends the Maine Clean Election Act by adding a system of optional supplemental funding for participating Maine Clean Election Act candidates who collect additional qualifying contributions.
9. It requires the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to report annually on the Maine Clean Election Fund's projected needs, including an operating margin of 20%.