An Act To Define "Agent" and "Candidate's Political Committee in the Laws Regarding Limitations on Campaign Contributions and Expenditures
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1613
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1001, 21-A MRSA §1015

Legislative Document 
No. 1613 
H.P. 1185 
House of Representatives, December 30, 2013 
An Act To Define "Agent" and "Candidate's Political Committee" 
in the Laws Regarding Limitations on Campaign Contributions and 
Expenditures 
Submitted by the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices pursuant to 
Joint Rule 204. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 23, 2013.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1001, sub-§§1-A and 1-B are enacted to read: 
1-A.  Agent.  "Agent" means a person to whom a candidate or candidate's political 
committee gives express or implied authority to act on behalf of the candidate or the 
candidate's political committee. 
1-B.  Candidate's political committee.  "Candidate's political committee" means the 
association of a candidate and one or more individuals who conduct activities to promote 
the nomination or election of the candidate with the knowledge and consent of the 
candidate, whether or not the candidate registered the political committee or its officers 
with the commission pursuant to section 1013-A, subsection 1, paragraph B. 
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1989, c. 504, §§7 and 31, 
is further amended to read: 
5.  Other contributions and expenditures; individuals deemed part of 
candidate's political committee.   Any expenditure made by any person in cooperation, 
consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a candidate's 
political committee or their agents is considered to be a contribution to that candidate. 
The financing by any person of the dissemination, distribution or republication, in whole 
or in part, of any broadcast or any written or other campaign materials prepared by the 
candidate, the candidate's political committee or committees or their authorized agents is 
considered to be a contribution to that candidate. 
For purposes of this subsection, an individual is deemed part of a candidate's political 
committee if, at the time of an expenditure or during the 6 months before an expenditure, 
the individual is: 
A.  An individual who is designated by the candidate as an officer of the candidate's 
political committee and whose name must be reported under section 1013-A, 
subsection 1, paragraph B; 
B.  The candidate's treasurer or deputy treasurer; 
C.  An individual who is performing the statutory responsibilities of the candidate's 
treasurer; or 
D.  An individual who, with the candidate's knowledge and consent, manages the 
candidate's campaign or is primarily responsible for certain activities of the 
candidate's campaign, including but not limited to campaign communications, 
advertising, public relations, media or fund-raising. 
A business entity engaged by the candidate to provide goods or services to promote the 
candidate's election is not deemed part of the candidate's political committee.  For 
purposes of this subsection, "business entity" means a corporation, association, 
partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or other legal entity. 
SUMMARY 
This bill defines who is an agent of a candidate or the candidate's political committee 
for purposes of the laws regarding limitations on campaign contributions and 
expenditures.  The bill also defines "candidate's political committee" based on the 
existing definition of "political committee" in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, 
section 1, subsection 30.  Certain individuals in positions of responsibility within a 
candidate's political campaign, including the treasurer and deputy treasurer, are deemed 
part of the candidate's political committee.  An expenditure made by, or in consultation 
with, these individuals may not be considered independent of the candidate or the 
candidate's political committee.