An Act To Prohibit Payment per Signature on Petitions for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto Referendums
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0499
Committee Amendment CA_A_S232 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §903-A, 21-A MRSA §903-C, 21-A MRSA §904

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fi-" to S.P. 164, L.D. 499, Bill, "An Act To 
Prohibit Payment per Signature on Petitions for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto 
Referendums" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Collect Data Regarding How Payment Is Made for Collection of 
Signatures for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto Referendums' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §903-A, sub-§§4 and 5 are enacted to read: 
4. Circulator affidavit. A person who circulates a petition shall execute an affidavit 
that must include: 
A. The circulator's printed name, the physical address at which the circulator resides 
and the date the circulator signed the affidavit; 
B. 
That the circulator read the information provided by the Secretary of State 
pursuant to subsection 3 and understands the laws governing the circulation of 
petitions in the State; 
C. That the circulator was a resident of the State and a registered voter in the State at 
the time of circulating the petition; and 
D. That the circulator understands that the circulator can be prosecuted under section 
for violating the laws governing the circulation of petitions, including the 
requirement that the circulator truthfully executed the affidavit. 
The circulator shall file the affidavit with the Secretary of State at the time the petition is 
filed. 
5. Circulator payment. A person or organization that pays individuals to circulate 
petitions, other than by reimbursing travel expenses, shall provide a list of those 
individuals to the Secretary of State along with information indicating the method by 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"/:\ "to S.P. 164, L.D. 499 (:, · )~ )') 
which the individuals are being compensated when the petitions are filed pursuant to the 
Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 17 or 18. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §903-C, sub-§1, ,O, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 99, §2, is 
amended to read: 
D. A list containing the names of all individuals hired by the petition organization to 
assist in circulating petitions or in organizing, supervising or managing the 
circulation. The list must include a statement indicating the method by which the 
individuals hired to assist in circulating petitions are being compensated. The list 
must be updated and resubmitted to the Secretary of State when the petitions are filed 
pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 17 or 18. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§4, as repealed and replaced by PL 2007, c. 455, 
§53, is amended to read: 
4. Duplicate signature. Knowingly signs the person's name more than once on 
initiative or referendum petitions for the same measure; er 
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 455, §53, is 
amended to read: 
5. 
False swearing; signature made in circulator's presence. 
Circulates an 
initiative or referendum petition and willfully swears that a signature to the petition was 
made in the circulator's presence when it was noh,;__m: 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §904, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. Failure to truthfully execute and file circulator affidavit. Knowingly fails to 
truthfully execute and timely file a circulator affidavit under section 903-A, subsection 4.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report. The amendment replaces the title and the bill 
and strengthens the integrity of the direct initiative and people's veto referendum process 
by requiring a petition circulator to submit an affidavit that includes the circillator's name, 
the address at which the circulator resides and the date the circulator signed the affidavit; 
that the circulator read the information provided by the Secretary of State and 
understands the laws governing the circulation of petitions in Maine; that the circulator 
was a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine at the time of circulating the 
petition; and that the circulator understands that the circulator can be prosecuted for 
violating the laws governing the circulation of petitions, including the requirement that a 
circulator truthfully executed the affidavit. 
The amendment also requires petition 
organizations and others to indicate the method by which they are compensating any 
individuals hired to assist in circulating petitions. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/04/19 feac 
LD499 
LR 615(02) 
An Act To Prohibit Payment per Signature on Petitions for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto 
Referendums 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "~ ( .'.'::) ~ 2 ::> ~) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Secretaty of State associated with processing and filing the infonnation 
received from petitioners can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0615(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1