An Act to Raise the Contribution Cap for Unenrolled Candidates
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0390
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: BRENNER
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1004-A, 21-A MRSA §1015, 21-A MRSA §1015-B

Legislative Document
No. 390
S.P. 176
In Senate, February 4, 2025
An Act to Raise the Contribution Cap for Unenrolled Candidates
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Senator: HICKMAN of Kennebec.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1004-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 244, §1, is 
further amended to read:
2.  Contribution in excess of limitations.  A person that accepts or makes a 
contribution that exceeds the limitations set out in section 1015, subsections 1 and, 1-A, 
2‑B and 2-C may be assessed a penalty of no more than the amount by which the 
contribution exceeded the limitation.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2023, c. 244, §4, is further 
amended to read:
1.   Contributions by individuals to a candidate nominated by primary election.  
An individual may not make contributions to a candidate nominated by primary election in 
support of the candidacy of one person aggregating more than $1,950 in any election for a 
gubernatorial candidate, more than $475 for a legislative candidate, more than $575 for a 
candidate for municipal office and more than $975 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, 2024, 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.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
1-A.  Contributions by individuals to a candidate nominated by petition.  An 
individual may not make contributions to a candidate nominated by petition in support of 
the candidacy of one person aggregating more than $3,900 in any election for a 
gubernatorial candidate, more than $950 for a legislative candidate, more than $1,150 for 
a candidate for municipal office and more than $1,950 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, 2026, 
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. 4.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§2-B, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 244, §7, is 
amended to read:
2-B.  Committees; corporations; associations; candidate nominated by primary 
election.  A political committee, political action committee, ballot question committee or 
other committee, firm, partnership, corporation, association or organization may not make 
contributions to a candidate nominated by primary election in support of the candidacy of 
one person aggregating more than $1,950 in any election for a gubernatorial candidate, 
more than $475 for a legislative candidate, more than $575 for a candidate for municipal 
office and more than $975 in any election for any other candidate.  Beginning December 
1, 2024, 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. 5.  21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§2-C is enacted to read:
2-C.  Committees; corporations; associations; candidate nominated by petition.  
A political committee, political action committee, ballot question committee or other 
committee, firm, partnership, corporation, association or organization may not make 
contributions to a candidate nominated by petition in support of the candidacy of one person 
aggregating more than $3,900 in any election for a gubernatorial candidate, more than $950 
for a legislative candidate, more than $1,150 for a candidate for municipal office and more 
than $1,950 in any election for any other candidate. Beginning December 1, 2026, 
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. 6.  21-A MRSA §1015-B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 244, §10, is further 
amended to read:
§1015-B.  Donations to an individual considering whether to become a candidate
If an individual receives funds, goods or services for the purpose of deciding whether 
to become a candidate, the funds, goods or services may not exceed the limitations in 
section 1015, subsections 1 and, 1-A, 2‑B and 2-C.  The individual shall keep an account 
of such funds, goods or services received and all payments and obligations incurred in 
deciding whether to become a candidate.  If the individual becomes a candidate, the funds, 
goods and services received are contributions and the payments and obligations are 
expenditures.  The candidate shall disclose the contributions and expenditures in the first 
report filed by the candidate or the candidate's authorized campaign committee, in 
accordance with the commission's procedures.
SUMMARY
This bill distinguishes contribution limits for a party candidate nominated by primary 
election and an unenrolled candidate nominated by petition. The bill doubles the 
contribution limit an individual or a political committee, political action committee, ballot 
question committee or other committee, firm, partnership, corporation, association or 
organization is allowed to contribute to an unenrolled candidate.