An Act To Increase Fairness in Campaign Financing
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0904
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: SUKEFORTH, EVANGELOS
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1015

Legislative Document 
No. 904 
H.P. 623 
House of Representatives, March 12, 2015 
An Act To Increase Fairness in Campaign Financing 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SUKEFORTH of Appleton. 
Cosponsored by Representative: EVANGELOS of Friendship. 
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 $3,000 for a 
gubernatorial candidate including a maximum of $1,500 for a primary election, more than 
$350 $750 for a legislative candidate including a maximum of $375 for a primary 
election, 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 $3,000 for a gubernatorial candidate 
including a maximum of $1,500 for a primary election, more than $350 $750 for a 
legislative candidate including a maximum of $375 for a primary election, 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 
Current law limits the amount individuals, political committees, political action 
committees and other entities may contribute to a candidate for Governor to $1,500 in 
any primary, general or special election.  The limit for a legislative candidate is $350 per 
election.  This bill provides that individuals, political committees, political action 
committees and other entities may contribute a total of $3,000 to a candidate for 
Governor, including a maximum of $1,500 for a primary election, and a total of $750 to a 
legislative candidate, including a maximum of $375 for a primary election.