An Act To Change Municipal Campaign Contribution Limits
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0780
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, ACKLEY, CYRWAY, LIBBY, COOPER, HANINGTON, HICKMAN, HUBBELL
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1015

Legislative Document
No. 780
S.P. 224
In Senate, February 12, 2019
An Act To Change Municipal Campaign Contribution Limits
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative ACKLEY of Monmouth and
Senators: CYRWAY of Kennebec, LIBBY of Androscoggin, Representatives: COOPER of 
Yarmouth, HANINGTON of Lincoln, HICKMAN of Winthrop, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, 
McCREIGHT of Harpswell.
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.
Sec. 3.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2020.
SUMMARY
This bill reduces from $750 to $350 the maximum allowable contribution for 
candidates for municipal office.