An Act to Update (lie
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2000
Committee Amendment CA_A_S542 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1017-A, 21-A MRSA §1052

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^ " to S.P. 814, L.D, 2000, "An Act to Update (lie
Campaign Finance Laws"
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph C in subparagraph (3) in the first line (page 1 ,
line 34 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "$2.000" and inserting the following: '$1.500'
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph C in subparagraph (4) in the first line (page 1,
line 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "^OOQ" and inserting the following: '$ 1.500'
Amend the bill by inserting after section 2 the followmg:
-See. 3. 21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, §11, is
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
2. Exnenditures to influence camuaien. A oartv committee shall report all
expenditures made to influence a camoaien. as defined in section 1052. subsection 1, For
each expenditure, the party committee shall report:
A, The candidate or ballot measure for which the expenditure was made:
B. For a candidate. the office sought by the candidate and the district that the candidate
seeks to represent;
C. The date and amount of each expenditure;
D. The purpose of each expenditure, includme whether the expenditure was made to
support or oppose the candidate or ballot measure: and
E, The name and address of each payee.'
Amend the bill in section 3 in paragraph E in the 4th line (page 2, line 6 in L.D.) by
striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following; '24'
Amend the bill in section 3 in paragraph E in the 5th line (page 2, line 7 in L.D.) by
striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following; '24'
Amend the bill in section 4 in paragraph C in the 3rd line (page 2, line 18 in L.D,) by
striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following; '24'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMHTEE AMENDMENT " ^ " to S.P. 814, L.D. 2000 (S'^Li '2^
Amend the bill in section 4 in paragraph C in the 4th line (page 2, line 19 in L.D.) by
.//^ 2 striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following; '24'
Amend the bill by inserting after section 5 the following:
'See. 6. 21-A MRSA §1052, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 217, §3, is
amended to read:
2-A. Ballot question committee. "Ballot question committee" means a person that
receives contributions or makes expenditures aggregating in excess of $5,000 for the
purpose of initiating or influencing a campaign, other than a campaign for the nomination
or election of a candidate. The term "ballot question committee" does not include a political
action committee or an exempt donor party committee, an exempt donor or a political
action committee not required to register as a ballot question committee under section
1052-A. subsection 1-A. paraeraoh A. '
Amend the bill in section 6 in paragraph E in the 4th line (page 3, line 12 in L.D.) by
striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following: '24'
Amend the bill in section 6 in paragraph E in the 5th line (page 3> line 13 in L.D.) by
striking out the following: "34 48" and inserting the following: '24'
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 7 and inserting the following:
'See. 7. Qualifying period for Maine Clean Election Act in 2026.
Notwithstanding the definition of "qualifying period" in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title
21-A, section 1122, subsection 8, for State Senate or State House of Representatives
participating candidates who file with the Commission on Governmental Ethics and
Election Practices a declaration of intent to seek certification as a Maine Clean Election
Act candidate after January 15, 2026, the qualifying period ends at 5:00 p.m. on May 21,
2026.'
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. It reduces the threshold amounts for financial transactions that require candidates for
State Representative and municipal office to file reports during the last 13 days before an
election from $2,000, as in the bill, to $ 1,500.
2, It removes the extended deadline for certain reports of contributions or expenditures
for party committees and reports of independent expenditures but retains the extended
deadline for candidates.
3. It removes the direction to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election
Practices to amend its mles to provide that independent expenditures made during the 60
days before an election must be disclosed in a report within 2 calendar days of the
expenditure.
4. It adds a section that clarifies what party committees must disclose in their campaign
finance reports, including for each expenditure: the candidate or ballot measure; for a
candidate, the office sought and the candidate's district; the date and amount of each
Page2-132LR2767(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " /\ " to S.P. 814, L.D. 2000 i <; ^
^ 1 expenditure; the purpose of each expenditure, including whether the expenditure was in
support of or opposition to the candidate or ballot measure; and the name and address of
each payee.
5. It adds party committees to the list of entities that are not included in the definition
of "ballot question committee."
6. It adds a section extending the qualifying period for State Senate or State House of
Representatives participating candidates who file with the commission a declaration of
intent to seek certification as a Maine Clean Election Act candidate after January 15, 2026
to 5:00 p.m. on May 21,2026.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Page3-132LR2767(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 03/04/26 I^Ki-
LD 2000 LR 2767(02)
An Act to Update the Campaign Finance Laws
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "/l"
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 to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Blection Practices from the provisions of this
bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
LR2767(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1