An Act To Improve Laws Governing Financial Disclosure by Legislators and Certain Public Employees and Public Access to Information Disclosed
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1001
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CAIN, BEAULIEU, TUTTLE
Amends: 1 MRSA §1016-G, 5 MRSA §19

Legislative Document 
No. 1001 
S.P. 346 
In Senate, March 12, 2013 
An Act To Improve Laws Governing Financial Disclosure by 
Legislators and Certain Public Employees and Public Access to 
Information Disclosed 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator CAIN of Penobscot.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Representative BEAULIEU of Auburn and 
Senator: TUTTLE of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  1 MRSA §1016-G, sub-§1, ¶¶C, E and K, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 
634, §11, are amended to read: 
C.  The name, address and principal economic or business activity of any corporation, 
partnership, limited liability company or other business in which the Legislator or 
members of the Legislator's immediate family own or control, directly or indirectly, 
more than 50% 5% of the outstanding equity, whether individually or in the 
aggregate, that has received revenue of $2,000 or more; 
E.  Each source of income of $2,000 or more received by the Legislator and a 
description of the nature of the income, such as rental income, dividend income and 
capital gains; 
K.  Each party as defined in Title 21-A, section 1, subsection 28, including a party 
committee, and each organization that is required under Title 21-A, chapter 13 to 
register with the commission as a political action committee or ballot question 
committee for which the Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family 
is a treasurer, principal officer or principal fund-raiser or decision maker; 
Sec. 2.  1 MRSA §1016-G, sub-§§4 and 5, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 634, §11, 
are amended to read: 
4.  Rules, procedures and forms.  The commission may adopt or amend rules to 
specify the reportable categories or types and the procedures and forms for reporting and 
to administer this section.  The commission shall adopt rules requiring that income 
received of $2,000 or more be reported in one of at least 4 ranges based on amount.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
5.  Public record.  Statements filed under this section are public records.  The 
commission Legislators shall publish file these statements electronically in a format to be 
specified by the commission, which format must include immediate placement of the 
statements on a publicly accessible website the completed forms of Legislators filed 
under this section.  
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §19, sub-§2, ¶¶H, J and P, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 634, 
§19, are amended to read: 
H.  The name, address and principal economic or business activity of any 
corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business in which the 
executive employee or members of the employee's immediate family own or control, 
directly or indirectly, more than 50% 5% of the outstanding equity, whether 
individually or in the aggregate, that has received revenue of $2,000 or more; 
J.  Each additional source of income of $2,000 or more received by the executive 
employee and a description of the nature of the income, such as rental income, 
dividend income and capital gains; 
P.  Each party as defined in Title 21-A, section 1, subsection 28, including a party 
committee, and each organization that is required under Title 21-A, chapter 13 to 
register with the commission as a political action committee or ballot question 
committee for which the executive employee or a member of the executive 
employee's immediate family is a treasurer, principal officer or principal fund-raiser 
or decision maker of the organization; 
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §19, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2007, c. 704, §8, is further 
amended to read: 
5.  Rules.  The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices may 
adopt or amend rules to specify the reportable categories or types and the procedures and 
forms for reporting and to administer this section.  The commission shall adopt rules 
requiring that income received of $2,000 or more be reported in one of at least 4 ranges 
based on amount.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as 
defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 5.  5 MRSA §19, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2007, c. 704, §9, is further 
amended to read: 
6.  Public record.  Statements filed under this section are public records. The 
Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices Executive employees shall 
publish file these statements electronically in a format to be specified by the commission, 
which format must include immediate placement of the statements on a publicly 
accessible website the completed forms of executive employees filed under this section. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends financial disclosure laws applicable to Legislators and certain  
executive branch employees.  Annual income received of $2,000 or more must include a 
description as to the nature of the income.  Ownership interests of 5% or more in business 
entities must be reported.  Involvement as a responsible officer of a political party or 
political committee by the Legislator or executive employee, or by a member of that 
person's immediate family, must be reported.  The Commission on Governmental Ethics 
and Election Practices is directed to adopt rules that require reporting of income of 
$2,000 or more in ranges.  Finally, Legislators and executive employees are required to 
file their disclosure statements electronically and those statements must be on a publicly 
accessible website.