An Act To Require Economic Research Organizations To Report Financial Matters to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0328
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: TtJTTLE

FIRST REGULAR SESSIOt~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 328 
H.P.264 
House of Representatives, February 3,2009 
An Act To Require Economic Research Organizations To Report 
Financial Matters to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and 
Election Practices 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative TtJTTLE of Sanford. 
Printed nil rc~y •. lcd jlnpef 
111~d:: 1J7.11ltu;~{ 
MILLICENTM. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRS A c. 13, sub-c. 4-A is enacted to read: 
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SUBCHAPTER 4-A 
ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE ORGANIZATIONS 
§1071. Economic research organizations; report; filingreguirements 
An economic research organization shall file a financial report with the commission 
in compliance with this section. The report must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on the filing 
deadline. 
1. Definitions. As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings. 
A. 
"Economic research organization" or "organization" means a nonpartisan, 
independent, not-for-profit organization formed to conduct research, analysis and 
reporting on economic issues. 
2. Reporting schedule. An organization shall file reports according to the schedule 
set out in this subsection. 
A. Quarterly reports must be filed: 
(1) On January 15th and must be.complete as of January 5th; 
(2) On April 1 Oth and must be complete as of March 31 st; 
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(3) On July 15th and must be complete as of July 5th; and 
(4) On October 10th and must be complete as of September 30th. 
B. Reports of spending must be filed on the 42nd day after the date on which the 
money is spent and must be complete as of the 34th day after that date. 
C. If an organization files a report under paragraph B it is not required to file a 
quarterly report when the deadline for that quarterly report falls within 10 days of the 
filing deadline established in paragraph A. 
D. An organization shall report any expenditure of $500 or more within 24 hours of 
that expenditure. 
3. Electronic filing. An organization shall file each report required by this section 
through an electronic filing system developed by the commission. 
§1072. Content of reports 
The reports under this subchapter must contain any information required by the 
commission to monitor the activities of an organization and: 
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1. Itemized expenditures. An itemization of each expenditure made, including the 
date, payee and purpose of the expenditure. The commission may specify the categories 
of expenditures that are to be reported to enable the commission to closely monitor the 
activities of the organization; 
2. Identification of contributions. Names, occupations, places of business and 
mailing addresses of contributors who have given more than $50 to the organization in 
the reporting period and the amount and date of each contribution; and 
3. Other expenditures. Operational expenses and other expenditures in cash or in 
kind. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires economic research organizations to file quarterly financial reports 
with the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.