An Act To Abolish the Maine Clean Election Act
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0506
Committee Amendment CA_A_H355 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 381, L.D. 506, Bill, 
Act To Abolish the Maine Clean Election Act" 
"An 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 14 the following: 
'Sec. 15. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at statewide 
election; form of question; effective date. 
This Act must be submitted 
to the legal voters of the State of Maine at the next statewide 
election in the month of November following the passage of this 
Act. 
The municipal officers of this State shall notify the 
inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to 
meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide 
election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by 
voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor repealing the Maine Clean Election Act?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall 
vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a 
cross or check mark placed wi thin a corresponding square below 
the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, 
counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings 
and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as 
votes for members of the Legislature. 
The Governor shall review 
the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes 
are cast in favor of the Act, the Governor shall proclaim that 
fact without delay, and the Act takes effect 30 days after the 
date of the proclamation. 
Page l-LR0239(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A· to H.P. 381, L.D. 506 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each 
city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this 
Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the committee and 
requires that this bill be sent to voters at the next statewide 
election in November. 
The question posed to voters would read: 
"Do you favor repealing the Maine Clean Election Act?" 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Referendum Costs 
" 
Approved: 05106/05 ;t.vac:. 
LD506 
LR0239(02) 
An Act To Abolish the Maine Clean Election Act 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A, 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Minority Report 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Current biennium cost decrease - General Fund 
Current biennium revenue decrease - Other Special Revenue Funds 
MonthlY ear 
Election Type 
Question 
Nov-05 
General 
Referendum 
Length 
Standard 
The Secretary of State's budget includes sufficient funds to accommodate one ballot of average length for the general 
election in November. If the number or size of the referendum questions increases the ballot length, an additional 
appropriation of $8,000 or more may be required. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The repeal of the Maine Clean Election Act would result in net savings to the General Fund of $2,198,578 and 
$2,196,267 in fiscal years 2005-06 and 2006-07, respectively. These amounts reflect the net savings between 
scheduled transfers to the Maine Clean Election Fund that would not have to be made and additional salary costs 
which would now have to be paid by the General Fund. The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election 
Practices would require Other Special Revenue Funds deallocations of $7,357,977 and $3,443,726 in fiscal years 2005-
and 2006-07, respectively. The commission would also experience a loss in budgeted Other Special Revenue 
Funds revenue in the amounts of $5,108,029 and $1,193,726 for the same time period. 
Upon the effective date of repeal, the Maine Clean Election Fund is likely to have an unspent balance remaining in the 
fund; the amounts can not be determined at this time and the disposition of these remaining funds is not addressed in 
the bill. 
LR0239(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1