An Act To Restrict the Raising of Money by Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0174
Committee Amendment CA_A_H147 (House)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1125

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "~,, to H.P. 132, L.D. 174, Bill, "An Act To 
Restrict the Raising of Money by Maine Clean Election Act Candidates" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Amend the Maine Clean Election Act Regarding Candidate 
Participation in Political Action Committees' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§6-F is enacted to read: 
6-F. Participation in political action committees. A participating candidate or a 
certified candidate may not establish a political action committee for which the candidate 
is a treasurer or principal officer or for which the candidate is primarily responsible for 
fund-raising or decision making. This prohibition applies between April 1 st immediately 
preceding a general election through: 
A. The date on which the candidate withdraws from a race; 
B. The date of the primary election or general election for a candidate who loses 
either election: or 
C. January 1st immediately preceding the next general election for a candidate who 
wins the general election. 
This prohibition also applies to a participating candidate or certified candidate in a special 
election. exce.pt that the prohibition begins on the date of the candidate's nomination. 
This subsection does not prohibit a participating candidate or certified candidate. 
including a certified candidate who wins a general or special election. from engaging in 
fund-raising or decision making for a party caucus political action committee, a ballot 
question committee or a political action committee formed for the purpose of promoting 
or opposing a ballot question. This prohibition applies to a participating candidate or 
certified candidate regardless of the date on which the political action committee was 
established. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~ "to H.P. 132, L.D. 174 
Sec. 2. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1,2016.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment prohibits a Maine Clean Election 
Act candidate, as part of the terms of participation in the act, from establishing a political 
action committee for which the candidate is a treasurer or principal officer or for which 
the candidate is primarily responsible for fund-raising or decision making. 
This 
prohibition applies beginning with the election cycle beginning in 2016. For the purpose 
of this prohibition, an election cycle begins on April 1 st immediately preceding the 
general election and ends on January 1st immediately preceding the next general election. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUJR.ED 
(See Attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
.. ' 
I 
, 
I 
Approved: 05112/]5 
LD174 
LR 1061(02) 
An Act To Restrict the Raising of Money by Maine Clean Election Act Candidates 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A [ H-/ LJ--j) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium savings - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The bill prohibits, during celiain date ranges, Maine Clean Election Act (MCEA) candidates from establishing a 
political action committee (PAC) for which they are a treasurer, principal officer or primarily responsible for 
fundraising or decision making. The amount of savings will depend on the number ofMCEA eligible candidates who 
choose to establish these PACs. Based on 2014 MCEA payments from the Maine Clean Election Fund there would 
have been an approximate savings of$4,910 and $22,705 for each MCEA certified candidate for State Representative 
and State Senator, respectively, that chose not to hecome MCEA certified. No estimate is made at this time of the 
number of candidates that might forego MCEA certification to establish these PACs moving forward. 
LRI 06 1(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of!