An Act Regarding Campaign Finance Reporting and the Maine Clean Election Act
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1854
Committee Amendment CA_A_S279 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854, Bill, "An Act 
Regarding Campaign Finance Reporting and the Maine Clean Election Act" 
Amend the bill in Part A by striking out all of sections 1 and 3. 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 5 in paragraph B in subparagraph (7) in division 
(a) in the first line (page 2, line 34 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "20" and 
inserting the following: '40' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 6 in paragraph B in subparagraph (10) in division 
(a) in the first line (page 4, line 17 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "20" and 
inserting the following: '40' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 1 I in § I 014 in subsection I in the next to the last 
line (page 6, line 31 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "radio station" and inserting 
the following: 'broadcasting station' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 11 in § 10 I 4 in subsection 2-A in the 3rd line 
(page 6, line 43 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "60" and inserting the following: 
'35' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section I I in § I 0 I 4 in subsection 3 in the 2nd line (page 
7, line 7 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "or agent of that person" 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 11 in § 1014 in subsection 5 in the 3rd line (page 
8, line 5 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "60" and inserting the following: '35' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in §1017 in subsection 2 in paragraph A in the 
4th line (page 9, line 33 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the 
following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 017 in subsection 2 in paragraph B in the 
first line (page 10, line 1 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5 :00" and inserting the 
following: '11:59' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854 
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Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 0 17 in subsection 2 in paragraph C in the 
first line (page 10, line 6 in L.D,) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the 
following: '11:59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1017 in subsection 2 in paragraph D in the 
3rd line (page 10, line 11 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the 
following: '11:59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 0 17 in subsection 2 in paragraph E in the 
first line (pagel 0, line 13 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the 
following: 'II :S9' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 017 in subsection 3-A in paragraph A in 
the 4th line (page 11, line 1 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "S:OO" and inserting 
the following: '11:59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 0 17 in subsection 3-A in paragraph B in 
the first line (page 11, line 6 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting 
IS 
the following: '11:59' 
Amend the biII in Part A in section 18 in § 10 17 in subsection 3-A by striking out all 
of paragraph C (page 11, lines 11 to 14 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'C. Contributions aggregating $1,000 or more from anyone contributor or single 
expenditures of $1 ,000 or more, made after the -hWl 14th day before any election and 
more than 24 hours before ~ 11 :59 p.m. on the day of any election must be reported 
within 24 hours of those contributions or expenditures.' 
Amend the bill in Part A .in section 18 in §1017 in subsection 3-A in paragraph Din 
the first line (page II, line 15 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting 
the following: 'II :S9' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1017 in subsection 3-B by striking out all 
of paragraph C (page 12, lines 22 to 31 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'CO 
A candidate who is required to file a report under paragraph A must file with 
the commission an updated report that reports single expenditures in the following 
amounts that are made after the 14th day before an election and more than 24 hours 
before ~ 
:59 p.m. on the date of that election: 
(1) For a candidate for Governor, a single expenditure of $1 ,000; 
(2) For a candidate for the state Senate, a single expenditure of $750; and 
(3) For a candidate for the state House of Representatives, a single expenditure 
of $500. 
A report filed pursuant to this paragraph must be filed within 24 hours of the 
expenditure.' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 18 in § 1 017 in subsection 3-B by striking out all 
of the last blocked paragraph (page 12, lines 32 to 36 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ',i4 "to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854 
'The commission shall provide forms to facilitate compliance with this subsection. The 
commission shall notify a candidate within 48 hours if an amount reported on any report 
under paragraph B exceeds 1 % in excess of the primary or general election distribution 
amounts for a Maine Clean Election Act candidate in the same race and no report has 
been received under paragraph A.' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in § 1 0 17-A in subsection 4-A in paragraph A 
in the first line (page 16, line 27 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and 
inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in §I017-A in subsection 4-A in paragraph B 
lOin the first line (page 16, line 32 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and 
inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in § 1 017 -A in subsection 4-A in paragraph C 
in the 2nd line (page 17, line 2 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting 
the following: '11:59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in § 10 17 -A in subsection 4-B in paragraph A 
in the first line (page 17, line 17 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and 
inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in § 10 17 -A in subsection 4-B in paragraph B 
in the first line (page 17, line 23 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5 :00" and 
inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 19 in § 10 17 -A in subsection 4-B by striking out 
all of paragraph C (page 17, lines 26 to 28 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'C. Any contribution or expenditure of $1,000 or more made after the ~ 
14th day 
before any election and more than 24 hours before that 11 :59 p.m. on the day of the 
election must be reported within 24 hours of that contribution or expenditure.' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 22 in paragraph B in the next to the last line (page 
19, line 3 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "60" and inserting the following: '35' 
Amend the bill in Part A by striking out all of sections 23 and 24. 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 25 in subsection 2 in the 4th line (page 19, line 29 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 27 in subsection 6 in the 3rd line (page 20, line 40 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 39 in § 1 059 in the first indented paragraph in the 
2nd line (page 25, line 30 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the 
following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bill in Part A in section 42 in subsection 2 in the 4th line (page 28, line 22 
in L.D.) by striking out the folIowing: "5:00" and inserting the following: '11 :59' 
Amend the bilI in Part A in section 44 in subsection 5 in the 3rd line (page 29, line 21 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "5:00" and inserting the following: '11 :59' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 3 in subsection 9 in the 2nd and 3rd lines (page 
30, lines 24 and 25 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "by an individual who is a 
Maine resident" 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 4 in paragraph B in the 3rd and 4th lines (page 31, 
lines 3 and 4 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "each year, beginning January 1, 
+999 2008 and 2009, then on or before September 1st of each year thereafter" and 
inserting the following: 'each year, beginning January I, 1999' 
Amend the bi 11 in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 by striking out all of subsections 2-A, 
2-B and 2-C and inserting the following: 
'2-A. Seed money restrictions. To be eligible for certification, a participating 
candidate may collect and spend only seed money contributions subsequent to becoming 
a candidate and prior to certification. A participating candidate may not solicit, accept or 
collect seed money contributions after certification as a Maine Clean Election Act 
candidate. 
A. All goods and services received prior to certification must be paid for with seed 
money contributions, except for goods and services that are excluded from the 
definition of contribution in section 1012, subsection 2, paragraph B. It is a violation 
of this chapter for a participating candidate to use fund revenues received after 
certification to pay for goods and services received prior to certification. 
B. Prior to certification, a participating candidate may obligate an amount greater 
than the seed money collected, but may only receive that portion of goods and 
services that has been paid for or will be paid for with seed money. A participating 
candidate who has accepted contributions or made expenditures that do not comply 
with the seed money restrictions under this chapter may petition the commission to 
remain eligible for certification as a Maine Clean Election Act candidate in 
accordance with rules of the commission, if the failure to comply was unintentional 
and does not constitute a significant infraction of these restrictions. 
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.' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 in subsection 3 in paragraph A in the 
first line (page 33, line 7 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "2,500" and inserting the 
following: '~ 
3,250' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 in subsection 4 in the last 2 lines (page 
33, lines 34 and 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: ", contribution cards required 
by subsection 2-B" 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 in subsection 5 by striking out all of 
paragraph C-I (page 34, lines 1 and 2 in L.D.). 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 by striking out all of subsection 6 
(page 35, lines 14 to 28 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A "to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854 
'6. 
Restrictions on contributions and expenditures for certified candidates. 
After certification, a candidate must limit the candidate's campaign expenditures and 
obligations, including outstanding obligations, to the revenues distributed to the candidate 
from the fund and may not accept any contributions unless specifically authorized by the 
commission. Candidates may also accept and spend interest earned on fund revenues in 
campaign bank accounts. All revenues distributed to a certified candidate from the fund 
must be used for campaign-related purposes. The candidate, the treasurer, the candidate's 
committee authorized pursuant to section 10 13-A, subsection 1 or any agent of the 
candidate and committee may not use these revenues for any but campaign-related 
purposes. 
The commission shall publish guidelines outlining permissible campaign-
related expenditures.' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in § 1125 in subsection 9 by striking out all of 
the last underlined sentence (page 37, lines 11 to 13 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'Matching funds for certified gubernatorial candidates in a primary election are limited to 
times the amount originally distributed under subsection 8, paragraph E. Matching 
funds for certified gubernatorial candidates in a general election are limited to the amount 
originally distributed under subsection 8, paragraph F.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes a provision of the bill that would have provided that the 
office of the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices does not have 
to be open until 8:00 p.m. on election day. The amendment increases from 20 to 40 the 
number of hours of assistance party committee employees can provide before such 
assistance is considered a contribution or an expenditure. The amendment clarifies that 
the disclosure required for authorized candidate advertisements does not include the 
address of the person who financed the advertisements whether broadcast on radio or 
television. The amendment changes from 60 days, as proposed by the bill, to 35 days the 
period of time before a general election during which there is a rebuttable presumption 
that a communication clearly depicting a candidate is an independent expenditure. In 
accordance with that 35-day period, disclosure requirements are triggered at that time for 
media communications and telephone calls that clearly depict a candidate. 
The amendment also changes the time of day that campaign finance reports, with the 
exception of those required under the accelerated reporting schedule, are due to the 
commission from 5:00 p.m. to 11 :59 p.m. on the day that they are due. The amendment 
eliminates the decrease in the dollar amount from $1,000 to $500 for expenditures by 
candidates or party committees made in the last 2 weeks of an election that would trigger 
24-hour reports. The amendment removes a provision from the bill that would have 
required more detailed reporting of independent expenditures and a provision that would 
increase the fine from $10 to $100 for failure to properly register information required of 
candidates. 
The amendment eliminates the provision in the bill that would have required that seed 
money contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act come from Maine residents and 
clarifies current seed money restrictions. The amendment removes the part of the bill that 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 14 "to S.P. 668, L.D. 1854 
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would transfer General Fund money to the Maine Clean Election Fund in September 
rather than in January as required by current law. The amendment removes a provision in 
the bill that would prohibit a Maine Clean Election Act candidate from paying family 
members services provided to the candidate's campaign. 
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The amendment increases from 2,SOO to 3,2S0 the number of qualifYing contributions 
a gubernatorial candidate must obtain to become certified, but eliminates the proposal in 
the bill that would require a gubernatorial candidate to raise a minimum of $lS,OOO in 
seed money contributions. The amendment clarifies an error in the bill with regard to 
gubernatorial matching funds. 
FISCAL XOTE REQCIRED 
(See ~!!~~~~d) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/08/07 ~ac 
LD 1854 
LR2532(02) 
An Act Regarding Campaign Finance Reporting and the Maine Clean Election Act 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '',A " 
Committee: Not Referred 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Undetermined revenue effect - Maine Clean Election Fund 
Various changes in the fine structure of the Maine Clean Election Act may result in changes in the amount of fine 
revenue that is collected for the Maine Clean Elec;:tion Fund; the amounts will depend on the nature and frequency of 
any fineable offense and cannot be determined at this time. In addition, increasing the number of qualifying 
contributions required for gubernatorial candidates may have the effect of decreasing the number of gubernatorial 
Clean Election candidates, thereby resulting in possible savings to the Maine Clean Election Fund in fiscal years 2009-
and 2010-11. The amounts will depend on the number of gubernatorial Clean Election candidates and cannot be 
determined at this time. 
LR2532(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1