An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1721
Committee Amendment CA_A_S195 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1019-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " (t" to S.P. 570, L.D. 1721, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the Campaign Reports and Finances Laws and the Maine Clean Election Act" 
Amend the bill in section 6 in subsection 5 in the 2nd line from the end (page 3, line 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: 
"changing" and inserting the following: 
'influencing' 
Amend the bill in section 10 in subsection 8 in paragraph Gin the last line (page 4, 
line 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "ana" and inserting the following: 'and' 
Amend the bill in section 10 in subsection 8 in paragraph Hin the last line (page 4, 
line 37 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "gift,; and" and inserting the following: 
'gift.' 
Amend the bill in section 10 in subsection 8 by striking out all of paragraph I (page 4, 
line 38 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section 13 in paragraph C in the 2nd line (page 6, line 15 in L.D.) 
by inserting after the following: "a general" the following: 'or special' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 14 the following: 
'Sec. 15. 21-A MRSA §1019-B, sub-§1, ,rA, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 448, §3, 
is amended to read: 
A. Is any expenditure made by a person, party committee, political committee or 
political action committee, other than by contribution to a candidate or a candidate's 
authorized political committee, for any communication that expressly advocates the 
election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate; and' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 15 the following: 
'Sec. 16. 21-A MRSA §1019-B, sub-§4, as amended by IB 2015, c. 1, §6 and PL 
2015, c. 350, §6, is further amended to read: 
4. Report required; content; rules. A person, party committee, political committee 
or political action committee that makes any independent expenditure in excess of $250 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"(\ "to S.P. 570, L.D. 1721 ( ;_, · I'} ,'{j 
during any one candidate's election shall file a report with the commission. In the case of 
a municipal election, the report must be filed with the municipal clerk. 
A. A report required by this subsection must be filed with the commission according 
to a reporting schedule that the commission shall establish by rule that takes into 
consideration existing campaign finance reporting requirements. 
Rules adopted 
pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
B. A report required by this subsection must contain an itemized account of each 
expenditure in excess of $250 in any one candidate's election, the date and purpose of 
each expenditure and the name of each payee or creditor. The report must state 
whether the expenditure is in support of or in opposition to the candidate and must 
include, under penalty of perjury, as provided in Title 17-A, section 451, a statement 
under oath or affirmation whether the expenditure is made in cooperation, 
consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, the candidate or an 
authorized committee or agent of the candidate. 
C. A report required by this subsection must be on a form prescribed and prepared by 
the commission. A person filing this report may use additional pages if necessary, 
but the pages must be the same size as the pages of the form. The commission may 
adopt procedures requiring the electronic filing of an independent expenditure report, 
as long as the commission receives the statement made under oath or affirmation set 
out in paragraph B by the filing deadline and the commission adopts an exception for 
persons who lack access to the required technology or the technological ability to file 
reports electronically. 
The commission may adopt procedures allowing for the 
signed statement to be provisionally filed by facsimile or electronic mail, as long as 
the report is not considered complete without the filing of the original signed 
statement.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 19. 
Amend the bill in section 20 in subsection 1 in the 2nd line from the end (page 8, line 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: 
"changing" and inserting the following: 
'influencing' 
Amend the bill in section 30 in the first line (page 12, line 35 in L.D.) by striking out 
the following: "sub-§§3-B and 3-C are" and inserting the following: 'sub-§3-B is' 
Amend the bill in section 30 by striking out all of subsection 3-C (page 13, lines 1 to 
in L.D.) 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 31. 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes the following changes to the bill. 
1. Under the bill, when prerecorded automated telephone calls and scripted live 
telephone calls that name a clearly identified candidate are made within 28 days before a 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fr "to S.P. 570, L.D. 1721 ( ,S ,·\ct~) 
primary election, within 35 days before a special election or between Labor Day and the 
date of a general election, the telephone calls must include information disclosing both 
the name of the person who paid for or financed the telephone call and whether the 
candidate authorized the telephone call. The amendment clarifies that surveys that meet 
generally accepted standards for polling research and that are not conducted for the 
purpose of influencing the voting position of call recipients are not required to include 
these disclosures. 
2. Under the bill, when a person makes an expenditure exceeding $500 that expressly 
advocates for or against an initiative or referendum on the ballot through prerecorded 
automated telephone calls or scripted live telephone calls, the telephone calls must clearly 
state the name of the person who made or financed the telephone calls. The amendment 
clarifies that surveys that meet generally accepted standards for polling research and that 
are not conducted for the purpose of influencing the voting position of call recipients are 
not required to include this disclosure. 
3. It strikes the provision of the bill authorizing a traditionally financed candidate to 
expend surplus campaign funds on expenses related to a recount. 
4. The bill eliminates the requirement in current law that municipal, district and 
county party committees submit a campaign finance report within 24 hours of receiving a 
single contribution of $5,000 or more or making any expenditure of $1,000 or more, if 
that contribution or expenditure is made within the 13 days before a primary election. 
The amendment clarifies that these so-called 24-hour reports continue to be required 
when a municipal, district or county party committee receives a single contribution of 
$5,000 or more or makes an expenditure of $1,000 or more within the 13 days before a 
special election. 
5. It removes the provisions of the bill authorizing the Commission on Governmental 
Ethics and Election Practices to investigate whether a candidate certified as a Maine 
Clean Election Act candidate meets the qualifications for candidacy and for holding 
office set forth in the Constitution of Maine. 
6. It makes technical changes to the terminology used in several provisions of the 
campaign finance laws included in the bill. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/25/19 fraC!-
LD 1721 
LR 1093(02) 
An Act To Amend the Campaign Reports and Finances Laws and the Maine Clean Election Act 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "ft" (:.,, I lf'::,~ 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Conectional and Judicial Impact Statements 
The additional workload associated with the minimal number of new cases filed in the court system does not require 
additional funding at this time. 
The collection of additional fine revenue will increase dedicated revenue by minor amounts. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices as a result of changes to the 
laws regarding campaign reports and campaign finance laws are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within 
existing budgeted resources. 
LR1093(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I