An Act To Require the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices To Make Public Declarations following a Determination of a Campaign Statement's Falsity
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1834
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: THOMAS

Legislative Document 
No. 1834 
S.P. 737 
In Senate, March 19, 2014 
An Act To Require the Commission on Governmental Ethics and 
Election Practices To Make Public Declarations following a 
Determination of a Campaign Statement's Falsity 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator THOMAS of Somerset.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA c. 13, sub-c. 6 is enacted to read: 
SUBCHAPTER 6 
CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS 
§1111.  False campaign statements 
1.  Commission to investigate.  The commission, upon complaint made by a 
candidate for Governor, State House of Representatives or State Senate, shall investigate 
the following acts by a candidate for Governor, State House of Representatives or State 
Senate, candidate's campaign, political party or political action committee: 
A.  Using the title of an office not currently held by a candidate in a manner that 
implies that the candidate does currently hold that office or using the term "reelect" 
when the candidate has never been elected at a primary, general or special election to 
the office for which that candidate is a candidate; 
B.  Making a false statement concerning the formal schooling or training completed 
or attempted by a candidate; a degree, diploma, certificate, scholarship, grant, award, 
prize or honor received, earned or held by a candidate; or the period of time during 
which a candidate attended any school, college, community college, technical school 
or institution; 
C.  Making a false statement concerning a professional, occupational or vocational 
license held by a candidate or concerning any position the candidate held for which 
the candidate received a salary or wages; 
D.  Making a false statement regarding a candidate's or public official's indictment for 
or conviction of a theft offense, extortion or other crime involving financial 
corruption or moral turpitude; 
E.  Making a false statement regarding a candidate's or public official's record of 
treatment or confinement for a mental disorder; 
F.  Making a false statement regarding a candidate's or public official's military 
discipline for criminal misconduct or dishonorable discharge from the armed 
services; 
G.  Falsely identifying the source of a statement, issuing statements under the name 
of another person without authorization or falsely stating the endorsement of or 
opposition to a candidate by a person or publication; 
H.  Making a false statement concerning the voting record of a candidate or public 
official; and 
I.  Posting, publishing, circulating, distributing or otherwise disseminating a false 
statement concerning a candidate, either knowing the statement to be false or with 
reckless disregard of whether it was false or not, if the statement is designed to 
promote the election, nomination or defeat of the candidate. 
2.  Commission to make public declaration.  If the commission finds by clear and 
convincing evidence that a candidate, candidate's campaign, political party or political 
action committee has committed an act described in subsection 1, the commission must 
make a timely public declaration stating the same. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to 
investigate, upon complaint made by a candidate for Governor, State House of 
Representatives or State Senate, certain campaign statements and to make public 
declarations regarding statements determined to be false.