An Act To Allow Cash Qualifying Contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0585
Committee Amendment CA_A_S140 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1125

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 200, L.D. 585, Bill, "An Act To Allow 
Cash Qualifying Contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3-B is enacted to read: 
3-B. Optional reporting method for cash contributions. A participating candidate 
who collects qualifying contributions in cash may choose an alternative method of 
submitting those contributions to the Maine Clean Election Fund rather than submitting 
the qualifying contributions as prescribed in subsection 3. If a participating candidate 
chooses to submit qualifying contributions in accordance with this subsection, the 
following requirements must be met. 
A. Each qualifying contribution must be made voluntarily by the contributor from 
the contributor's personal funds. It is a violation of this chapter for a person to 
provide money to a contributor to pay for a qualifying contribution or to give 
anything of value to the contributor in exchange for a qualifying contribution. 
B. A contributor making a qualifying contribution in cash shall sign a form prepared 
by the commission for the purpose of documenting cash contributions. A candidate 
receiving qualifying contributions in cash shall submit the contributions to the 
commission in the aggregate in the form of a cashier's check or money order payable 
to the Maine Clean Election Fund. 
The candidate may not deposit qualifying 
contributions received in cash into the candidate's campaign account.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment establishes an alternative method for collecting and submitting 
qualifying cash contributions collected by a paiticipating candidate under the Maine 
Clean Election Act. The bill provides that a cash qualifying contribution is valid if the 
contributor signed a receipt and acknowledgment form. The amendment instead allows 
for qualifying contributions to be submitted in the manner prescribed in current law, 
which requires use of a money order, and adds that a cashier's check may also be used. 
Page I - 128LR0017(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "JI "to S.P. 200, L.D. 585 
Under the alternative method, the contributor signs a fonn, separate from the receipt and 
acknowledgment fonn required under cunent law. The amendment provides that the 
cash contributions may not be deposited into the candidate's campaign account. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/20/17 feac 
LD 585 
LR 17(02) 
An Act To Allow Cash Qualifying Contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A-' ( 5- / L/ s) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs for allowing candidates to submit qualified contributions tln·ough the use of a money order are 
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within the existing budgeted resources of the Commission on Governmental 
Ethics and Election Practices. 
LROO 17(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1