An Act To Increase Public Confidence in Government by Expanding Public Disclosure No. 2178 January 28, 2008
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2178
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: EDMONDS, CUMMINGS, BARTLETT, MARRACHE, MITCHELL, PLOWMAN, STRIMLING, CANAVAN, PINGREE
Amends: 1 MRSA §1016-A, 1 MRSA §1016-E, 1 MRSA §1016-F, 5 MRSA §19

Legislative Document 
S.P.838 
An Act To Increase Public Confidence in Government by 
Expanding Public Disclosure 
No. 2178 
January 28, 2008 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by President EDMONDS of Cumberland. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Speaker CUMMINGS of Portland and Senators: BARTLETT of Cumberland, 
MARRACHE of Kennebec, MITCHELL of Kennebec, PLOWMAN of Penobscot, 
STRIMLING of Cumberland, Representatives: CANAVAN of Waterville, PINGREE of North 
Haven. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §1016-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1989, c. 608, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
4. Disclosure of income of immediate family. The Legislator shall disclose the 
type of economic activity representing each source of income of $1,000 or more that any 
member of the immediate family of the Legislator received and the name of that member 
of the Legislator's immediate family. 
Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §1016-E is enacted to read: 
§1016-E. Disclosure of interests 
Each Legislator shall file with the commission by 5 :00 p.m. on February} 5th of each 
year on the form provided by the commission a statement of those interests and positions 
set forth in this section that were held in the preceding calendar year. Prior to the end of 
the first week in January of each year, the commission shall deliver a form to each 
Senator and member of the House of Representatives. The statement of interests is a 
public record. 
1. Disclosure of real property interests. A Legislator filing a statement under this 
section shall report: 
A. The location of each piece of real property in which the Legislator holds an 
interest or interests with a total value of $10,000 or more, the type of interest or 
interests and the approximate value of the interest or interests; and 
B. For each real property interest or interests with a total value of $10,000 or more 
held by a member of the Legislator's immediate family, the name of the family 
member who holds the interest or interests, the location of the real property in which 
the interest or interests are held and the approximate value of the interest or interests. 
2. Disclosure of investment information. A Legislator filing a statement under this 
section shall report: 
A. The value amount of each investment interest greater than $2,500 held by the 
Legislator; and 
B. 
The value amount of each investment interest greater than $2,500 held by a 
member of the Legislator'S immediate family and the name of that member of the 
Legislator'S immediate family. 
For purposes of this subsection, "investment interest" includes stock holdings, corporate 
bonds, closely held businesses and other ownership interests. 
3. Disclosure of officer or director position. A Legislator filing a statement under 
this section shall report: 
A. 
Any offices, trusteeships, directorships or pOSItIOns of any nature. whether 
compensated or uncompensated, held by the Legislator in the preceding calendar year 
Page I - 123LR3294(OI)-1 
with any for-profit or nonprofit firm, corporation, association, partnership or 
business; and 
B. 
Any offices, trusteeships, directorships or positions of any nature, whether 
compensated or uncompensated, held by a member of the immediate family of the 
Legislator with any for-profit or nonprofit firm, corporation, association, partnership 
or business and the name of that member ofthe Legislator'S immediate family. 
Sec.3. 1 MRSA §1016-F is enacted to read: 
§1016-F. Internet disclosure 
The commission shall publish on its publicly accessible website the completed forms 
submitted by Legislators pursuant to sections 1016-A, 1016-8, 1016-0, 1016-E and 1018 
II 
and by candidates for the Legislature pursuant to section 10 16-C. 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §19, sub-§2,~, as amended by PL 1989, c. 608, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
O. 
The type of economic activity representing each source of income of $1 ,000 or 
more that any member of the immediate family of the executive employee received 
and the name of that family member of the executive employee; 
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §19, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Statement of interests. Each executive employee shall annually file with the 
Secretary of State a sworn and notarized statement of those interests and positions set 
forth in this subsection for the preceding calendar year. The statement must include: 
A. The location of each piece of real property in which the executive employee holds 
an interest or interests with a total value of $10,000 or more, the type of interest or 
interests and the approximate value of the interest or interests; 
8. For each real property interest or interests with a total value of $10,000 or more 
held by a member of the executive employee's immediate family, the name of the 
family member who holds the interest or interests, the location of the real property in 
which the interest or interests are held and the approximate value of the interest or 
interests; 
C. 
Any offices, trusteeships, directorships or positions of any nature, whether 
compensated or uncompensated, held by the executive employee with any for-profit 
or nonprofit firm, corporation, association, partnership or business; 
O. 
Any offices, trusteeships, directorships or positions of any nature, whether 
compensated or uncompensated, held by a member of the immediate family of the 
executive employee with any for-profit or nonprofit firm, corporation, association, 
partnership or business and the name of that member of the executive employee's 
immediate family; 
E. The value amount of each investment interest greater than $2,500 held by the 
executive employee; and 
F. 
The value amount of each investment interest greater than $2,500 held by a 
member of the executive employee's immediate family and the name of that member 
of the executive employee's immediate family. 
For purposes of this subsection, "investment interest" includes stock holdings, corporate 
bonds, closely held businesses and other ownership interests. 
Sec. 6. 5 MRS A §19, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 734, §2, is amended to 
read: 
6. 
Public record. Statements filed under this section are public records. 
The 
Secretary of State shalI publish on a publicly accessible website the completed forms of 
executive employees filed under this section. 
SUMMARY 
This bilI expands the list of information that Legislators and executive branch 
officials are required to list on financial disclosures to include information on real estate 
interests, investment interests, positions held as officers and directors of entities and the 
names of and interests held by immediate family members of Legislators and executive 
branch officials. The bill also requires that completed disclosure forms of Legislators and 
executive employees, including the Governor, be made available over the Internet. The 
requirement for Internet publication of the completed forms applies to Legislators' 
disclosure of sources of income, reportable liabilities, bids on government contracts and 
updating statements and candidate disclosure forms and executive employee statements 
of sources of income.