An Act To Amend the Law Governing the Gathering of Signatures for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto Referenda
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0176
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: SHORT, CUSHING, BLACK, CAMPBELL, DUCHESNE, DUNPHY, MARTIN, SHAW, STANLEY

Legislative Document 
No. 176 
H.P. 134 
House of Representatives, January 27, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Law Governing the Gathering of Signatures 
for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto Referenda 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SHORT of Pittsfield. 
Cosponsored by Senator CUSHING of Penobscot and 
Representatives: BLACK of Wilton, CAMPBELL of Orrington, DUCHESNE of Hudson, 
DUNPHY of Embden, MARTIN of Sinclair, McCABE of Skowhegan, SHAW of Standish, 
STANLEY of Medway. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §§903-D and 903-E are enacted to read: 
§903-D.  Limitations on circulators of petitions 
A petition organization registered pursuant to section 903-C may not employ for 
compensation as a circulator collecting signatures on a petition for the direct initiative of 
legislation or a people's veto referendum a person who does not comply with this section. 
1.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the 
following meanings. 
A.  "Circulator" means a resident of the State employed by a petition organization for 
compensation as a circulator collecting signatures on a petition for the direct initiative 
of legislation or a people's veto referendum. 
B.  "Commission" means the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election 
Practices. 
2.  Register.  A circulator shall register with the commission on a form provided by 
the commission. 
3.  Residency.  A circulator shall disclose to the commission the circulator's place of 
residence. 
4.  Employment history.  A circulator shall disclose to the commission whether the 
circulator has been compensated previously for the collection of signatures and if so shall 
identify where. 
5.  Compensation.  A circulator shall disclose to the commission how the circulator 
is being compensated and how much the circulator is being compensated. 
6.  Monthly reporting.  A circulator shall disclose on a monthly basis to the 
commission how many signatures the circulator has gathered. 
7.  Quarterly reporting.  A circulator shall make available on a quarterly basis to the 
commission scanned copies of the petitions the circulator is circulating. 
8.  Identification.  While engaged in the process of collecting signatures, a circulator 
shall wear a name badge including the circulator's first and last name, the name of the 
petition organization employing the circulator and the circulator's city and state of 
residence. 
If a petition organization employing a circulator pays the circulator more than $2,500, 
the petition organization shall post a $2,000 bond with the Secretary of State on the 
circulator.  The bond may be recouped after the Secretary of State has certified the 
signatures collected by the circulator. 
A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime. 
§903-E.  Residency restrictions pertaining to circulators of petitions 
A person who is not a resident of the State may not act as a circulator collecting 
signatures on a petition for the direct initiative of legislation or a people's veto 
referendum and may not handle a petition in any manner.  A person who is not a resident 
of the State may provide another person information about a petition. 
A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime. 
SUMMARY 
This bill prohibits persons who are not residents of the State from collecting 
signatures on a petition for the direct initiative of legislation or a people's veto 
referendum and from handling such a petition in any manner.  The bill permits persons 
who are not residents to provide others with information about a petition.  The bill 
requires a person employed by a petition organization to register with the Commission on 
Governmental Ethics and Election Practices and to disclose to the commission 
information regarding the person's place of residence, employment history, compensation, 
number of signatures gathered in a month and petitions circulated and to wear an 
identification badge when collecting signatures.  The bill requires a petition organization 
to post a $2,000 bond on a circulator receiving over $2,500 in compensation.  The bill 
makes a violation of any of these provisions a Class E crime.