An Act to Increase Transparency in Municipal Ballot Referenda Expenditures
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1336
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: MATLACK
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1053-A, 30-A MRSA §2502

Legislative Document
No. 1336
H.P. 850
House of Representatives, March 28, 2023
An Act to Increase Transparency in Municipal Ballot Referenda 
Expenditures
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATLACK of St. George.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1053-A, as amended by PL 2021, c. 217, §5, is further 
amended to read:
§1053-A.  Municipal elections
If an organization qualifies as a committee under section 1052, subsection 2 and that 
organization receives contributions or makes expenditures to influence a municipal 
campaign in towns or cities with a population of 15,000 or more, that organization must 
register and file reports with the municipal clerk as required by Title 30‑A, section 2502. 
If an organization qualifies as a ballot question committee under section 1052, subsection 
2-A and that organization makes expenditures exceeding $5,000 to influence a municipal 
referendum campaign in a town or city with a population of less than 15,000, that 
organization must register and file reports with the municipal clerk as required by Title 
30-A, section 2502, subsection 2. The reports must be filed in accordance with the reporting 
schedule in section 1059 and must contain the information listed in section 1060.  A 
committee registered with the commission and that receives contributions or makes 
expenditures relating to a municipal election shall file a copy of the report containing such 
contributions or expenditures with the clerk in the subject municipality.  The commission 
retains the sole authority to prescribe the content of all reporting forms.  The commission 
does not have responsibility to oversee the filing of registrations or campaign finance 
reports relating to municipal campaigns.  If a municipal clerk becomes aware of a potential 
violation of this subchapter that the clerk considers to be substantial, the clerk may refer 
the matter to the commission for enforcement.  The commission may conduct an 
investigation if the information referred by the municipal clerk shows sufficient grounds 
for believing that a violation may have occurred.  After conducting the investigation, if the 
commission determines that a violation of this subchapter has occurred, the commission 
may assess penalties provided in this subchapter.
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §2502, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §60 and 
affected by §62, is further amended to read:
2.  Municipal referenda campaigns.  Municipal referenda campaigns in towns or 
cities with a population of 15,000 or more are governed by Title 21‑A, chapter 13, 
subchapter 4.  The registrations and reports of political action committees and ballot 
question committees must be filed with the municipal clerk.  A Except as provided in 
paragraph A, a town or city with a population of less than 15,000 may choose to be 
governed by Title 21‑A, chapter 13, subchapter 4 by vote of its legislative body at least 90 
days before a referendum election.   A town or city that votes to adopt those provisions 
may revoke that decision, but it must do so at least 90 days before an election subject to 
that subchapter.
A.  If an organization qualifies as a ballot question committee under Title 21-A, section 
1052, subsection 2-A and that organization makes expenditures exceeding $5,000 to 
influence a municipal referendum campaign in a town or city with a population of less 
than 15,000, that organization must file the registrations and reports with the municipal 
clerk.
SUMMARY
This bill requires organizations that qualify as ballot question committees and spend 
more than $5,000 to influence a municipal referendum campaign in a town or city with a 
population of less than 15,000 to comply with the same campaign reporting laws that 
currently govern their actions in larger municipalities.