An Act Regarding Corporate and Other Entity Campaign Advertising Disclosure and Accountability
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0770
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: MacDONALD, KRUGER, CAREY, GRANT, MASTRACCIO, SANBORN
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1015-B

Legislative Document 
No. 770 
H.P. 521 
House of Representatives, February 28, 2013 
An Act Regarding Corporate and Other Entity Campaign 
Advertising Disclosure and Accountability 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MacDONALD of Boothbay. 
Cosponsored by Representative KRUGER of Thomaston and 
Representatives: CAREY of Lewiston, GRANT of Gardiner, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, 
SANBORN of Gorham. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1015-B is enacted to read: 
§1015-B.  Political activities by corporations and other groups 
In addition to any applicable disclosure and reporting requirements prescribed by this 
chapter, a corporation or group that makes contributions shall comply with this section. 
For purposes of this section, "group" means a political action committee, firm, 
partnership, trade or professional association or union. 
1.  Contributions and expenditures by corporations and groups.  A corporation or 
group that makes a contribution or expenditure to support or defeat a candidate, 
referendum, direct initiative of legislation or people's veto referendum of more than 
$2,000 in a calendar year shall submit a report to the commission within 60 days of the 
contribution or expenditure.  The report must include but is not limited to: 
A.  The amount of the contribution or expenditure; and 
B.  The candidate, referendum, direct initiative of legislation or people's veto 
referendum to which the contribution or expenditure relates. 
Reports required by this subsection must be retained by the corporation or group for a 
minimum of 5 years.  The reporting requirements of this subsection are satisfied if 
substantially similar reports are filed in accordance with other provisions of this chapter. 
2.  Television and radio communications; disclosure required.  A political 
communication made by or purchased by a corporation or group to support or defeat a 
candidate, referendum, direct initiative of legislation or people's veto referendum 
broadcast on television or radio must include the following information clearly audible or 
visible to the viewer: 
A.  The identity of the corporation's or group's chief executive officer or principal 
officer and the officer's title; 
B.  The city and state of the corporation's or group's principal place of business; and 
C.  The following statement, made by the chief executive officer, chair, principal 
officer or business manager of the corporation or group: 
"I 
am 
......................... 
(name), 
the 
........................... 
(office 
held) 
of 
............................... (name of corporation or group).  ............................ (name of 
corporation or group) paid for and approves this message." 
For a television communication, this statement must be made with a full-screen view 
of the person making the statement. 
3.  Internet communications; disclosure required.  A political communication 
made by or purchased by a corporation or group to support or defeat a candidate, 
referendum, direct initiative of legislation or people's veto referendum broadcast on the 
Internet must include the following information clearly audible or visible to the viewer: 
A.  The identity of the corporation's or group's chief executive officer or principal 
officer and the officer's title; 
B.  The city and state of the corporation's or group's principal place of business; 
C.   The following statement, made by the chief executive officer, chair, principal 
officer or business manager of the corporation or group: 
"I am .......................... (name), the .................................. (office held) of 
............................ (name of corporation or group).  ..................... (name of corporation 
or group) paid for and approves this message." 
This statement must be made with a full-screen view of the person making the 
statement; 
D.  A list of the names of the 5 persons or entities that have made the largest 
contributions to the corporation or group in excess of $250 during the 12-month 
period before the date of the communication, with the words "Top Five 
Contributors"; and 
E.  The logo of the corporation or group, if applicable. 
4.  Print communications; disclosure required.  A printed political communication 
made by a corporation or group to support or defeat a candidate, referendum, direct 
initiative of legislation or people's veto referendum must include the same information as 
described in subsection 3, paragraphs A, B, D and E, which must be set aside from other 
printed matter so it is clearly distinguishable and printed in a font size no less than 10% 
of the largest font size in the communication. 
5.  Violations.  A corporation or group that makes a political communication 
knowingly without the disclosures required by this section is punishable by a fine of 3 
times the amount of the expenditure for the communication or $100,000, whichever is 
greater.  A person who knowingly aids or abets a violation as described in this subsection 
is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 and imprisonment not to exceed a term of 
one year. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires specific disclosures by corporations and various groups that make 
political communications in print, by television and radio and through Internet media.  
The bill also requires corporations and groups making political contributions of more than 
$2,000 to report regarding those contributions to the Commission on Governmental 
Ethics and Election Practices.