An Act To Strengthen the Ballot Initiative Process
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1730
Committee Amendment CA_A-SA_A_S478 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §901-A, 21-A MRSA §903-D, 21-A MRSA §904

SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 662, 
L.D. 1730, Bill, "An Act To Strengthen the Ballot Initiative Process" 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 1 and inselting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §901-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 341, §5, is 
fUlther amended to read: 
2. Required statements; placement of information. ~ 
On each page of a 
petition that contains space intended for voter signatures, the Secretary of State shall 
include a space at the top right or left corner of each petition such page to be submitted to 
the voters, which must be filled in with the name of the circulator collecting signatures on 
that petition and a unique identifying number, and include the fiscal impact of the 
initiative as described in Title 1, section 353 directly below the following statement at the 
top of the petition in a type size of no less than 16 points: 
"Freedom of Citizen Information: Before a registered voter signs any initiative 
petition, signature gatherers must offer the voter the opportunity to read the proposed 
initiative summary and fiscal impact statement prepared by the Secretary of State.'" 
Amend the amendment in section 2 in the indented paragraph in the last line (page 1, 
line 25 in amendment) by striking out the following: "of the petition to the registrar." and 
inserting the following: 'the petition to the registrar. If the petitions submitted to the 
registrar are not signed and verified in accordance with this paragraph, the registrar may 
not celtify the petitions and is required only to return the petitions.' 
Amend the amendment in section 3 in §902-A in the first paragraph by striking out 
all ofthe first sentence (page 1, lines 28 and 29 in amendment) 
Amend the amendment by inselting after section 4 the following: 
'Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §903-D is enacted to read: 
§903-D. Direct initiative and people's veto petition organization required to be 
registered 
An organization opposed to a petition shall register with the Secretary of State in 
accordance with this section. For the purposes of this section, "organization opposed to a 
petition" means a business entity that receives compensation for organizing, supervising 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT "A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 662, L.D. 1730 
or managing the opposition of petitions for a direct initiative of legislation or a people's 
veto referendum. 
1. Registration. Prior to organizing, supervising or managing the opposition of 
petitions for a direct initiative of legislation or a people's veto referendum, an 
organization opposed to a petition, in addition to meeting any other requirement to 
transact business in this State, shall register with the SecretaIY of State on a form 
prescribed by the Secretary of State. The registration form must include the following: 
A. The ballot question or title of each direct initiative of legislation or people's veto 
referendum for which the organization opposed to a petition will receive 
compensation; 
B. Contact information for the organization opposed to a petition, including the name 
of the organization opposed to a petition, street address or post office box, telephone 
number and e-mail address; and 
C. The name and signature of a designated agent for the organization opposed to a 
petition. 
The information contained in the registration must be made available for public 
inspection and must be posted on the publicly accessible website of the Secretary of 
State. 
Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§4, as repealed and replaced by PL 2007, c. 455, 
§53, is amended to read: 
4. Duplicate signature. Knowingly signs the person's name more than once on 
initiative or referendum petitions for the same measure; Sf 
Sec. 7. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 455, §53, is 
amended to read: 
5. 
False swearing; signature made in circulator's presence. 
Circulates an 
initiative or referendum petition and willfully swears that a signature to the petition was 
made in the circulator's presence when it was not:-,;"QI 
Sec. 8. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. Interfere with free passage. Interferes with the free passage of circulators of 
petitions or members of the public signing initiatives or referendum petitions.' 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment does the following. 
1. It removes language from Committee Amendment "A" requiring the circulator of 
a petition to affix a unique identifier to the top and bottom of each page of a petition, and 
instead amends existing law to require the Secretary of State to provide space on each 
petition page intended for signatures for the inclusion of a unique identifying number to 
accompany the name of the circulator. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT" If 
to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 662, L.D. 1730 
2. It provides that if petitions are not signed and verified before being submitted to 
the registrar, the registrar is required only to return the petitions. 
3. It removes language requiring the registrar to make a copy of each petition 
submitted. 
4. It provides that a person commits a Class E crime if that person interferes with the 
free passage of circulators of petitions or members of the public signing initiatives or 
referendum petitions. 
5. It imposes on organizations that are opposed to a petition registration requirements 
that are modeled on those imposed on petition organizations. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
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(~Cbed) 
SPONSORED BY: ~"--
(Senator TRAHAN) 
COUNTY: Lincoln 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/25/]0 frac:.. 
LD 1730 
LR 2310(05) 
An Act To Strengthen the Ballot Initiative Process 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment "Ar' to Committee Amendment "A" 
Sponsor: Sen. Trahan of Lincoln 
. Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Removes State Mandate 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Establishes new Class E crimes. 
The collection of additional fines may also increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This amendment eliminates the requirement for the registrar or clerk to copy each petition, therefore eliminating the 
State Mandate reported on the committee amendment. 
LR231 0(05) - Fiscal Note - Page] of] 
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