An Act To Change Municipal Campaign Contribution Limits
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0617
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, LIBBY, BEAR, GOLDEN, GOODE, MONAGHAN, RYKERSON, SAUCIER, PATRICK
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1015

Legislative Document 
No. 617 
H.P. 430 
House of Representatives, March 3, 2015 
An Act To Change Municipal Campaign Contribution Limits 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative CHIPMAN of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator LIBBY of Androscoggin and 
Representatives: BEAR of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, GOLDEN of Lewiston, 
GOODE of Bangor, MONAGHAN of Cape Elizabeth, RYKERSON of Kittery, SAUCIER of 
Presque Isle, Senator: PATRICK of Oxford. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 382, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Individuals.  An individual may not make contributions to a candidate in support 
of the candidacy of one person aggregating more than $1,500 in any election for a 
gubernatorial candidate, more than $350 for a legislative candidate, more than $350 for a 
candidate for municipal office and beginning January 1, 2012 more than $750 for a 
candidate for municipal office or more than $750 in any election for any other candidate.  
This limitation does not apply to contributions in support of a candidate by that candidate 
or that candidate's spouse or domestic partner. Beginning December 1, 2010, contribution 
limits in accordance with this subsection are adjusted every 2 years based on the 
Consumer Price Index as reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of 
Labor Statistics and rounded to the nearest amount divisible by $25. The commission 
shall post the current contribution limit and the amount of the next adjustment and the 
date that it will become effective on its publicly accessible website and include this 
information with any publication to be used as a guide for candidates. 
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 382, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Committees; corporations; associations.  A political committee, political action 
committee, other committee, firm, partnership, corporation, association or organization 
may not make contributions to a candidate in support of the candidacy of one person 
aggregating more than $1,500 in any election for a gubernatorial candidate, more than 
$350 for a legislative candidate, more than $350 for a candidate for municipal office and 
beginning January 1, 2012 more than $750 for a candidate for municipal office or more 
than $750 in any election for any other candidate.  Beginning December 1, 2010, 
contribution limits in accordance with this subsection are adjusted every 2 years based on 
the Consumer Price Index as reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau 
of Labor Statistics and rounded to the nearest amount divisible by $25. The commission 
shall post the current contribution limit and the amount of the next adjustment and the 
date that it will become effective on its publicly accessible website and include this 
information with any publication to be used as a guide for candidates. 
SUMMARY 
This bill reduces the maximum allowable contribution to a municipal candidate from 
$750 to $350, which was the limit prior to January 1, 2012.