An Act to Update the Campaign Finance Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2000
Sponsors: HICKMAN
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1017, 21-A MRSA §1017-A, 21-A MRSA §1019-B, 21-A MRSA §1059

Legislative Document
No. 2000
S.P. 814
In Senate, December 5, 2025
An Act to Update the Campaign Finance Laws
(EMERGENCY)
Submitted by the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices pursuant to 
Joint Rule 203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 3, 2025.  Referred to the Committee 
on Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the changes in this legislation may directly impact statewide campaigns 
during the 2026 election; and
Whereas, it is necessary to amend the requirements of certain campaign finance laws 
as soon as possible to avoid undue burdens and confusion; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1017, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, §7, is 
further amended to read:
D.  If the candidate has an opponent who is on the ballot or who is a declared write-in 
candidate, any single contribution of $1,000 $10,000 or more received or any single 
expenditure of $1,000 $10,000 or more made after the 14th day before the election and 
more than 24 48 hours before 11:59 p.m. on the day of the election must be reported 
within 24 48 hours of that contribution or expenditure.  The candidate or treasurer is 
not required to include in this report expenditures for overhead expenses or 
compensation paid to an employee or other member of the campaign staff who has 
received payments at regular intervals that have been disclosed in previously filed 
campaign finance reports.  As used in this paragraph, "overhead expenses" includes, 
but is not limited to, rent, utility payments, taxes, insurance premiums or similar 
administrative expenses.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1017, sub-§3-A, ¶C, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, §8, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
C.  If the candidate has an opponent who is on the ballot or who is a declared write-in 
candidate, any single contribution received or any single expenditure made after the 
14th day before any election and more than 48 hours before 11:59 p.m. on the day of 
any election that is equal to or greater than the following thresholds must be reported 
within 48 hours of that contribution or expenditure:  
(1)  For a candidate for State Senator, $5,000;
(2)  For a candidate for county office, $2,500;
(3)  For a candidate for State Representative, $2,000; and
(4)  For a candidate for municipal office, $2,000.
The candidate or treasurer is not required to include in this report expenditures for 
overhead expenses or compensation paid to an employee or other member of the 
campaign staff who has received payments at regular intervals that have been disclosed 
in previously filed campaign finance reports. As used in this paragraph, "overhead 
expenses" includes, but is not limited to, rent, utility payments, taxes, insurance 
premiums or similar administrative expenses.
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§4-A, ¶E, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, 
§12, is further amended to read:
E.  If a state party committee is required to file a report 11 days before an election 
pursuant to paragraph B or C, the committee shall report any single contribution of 
$5,000 $10,000 or more received or any single expenditure of $1,000 $2,500 or more 
made after the 14th day before the election and more than 24 48 hours before 5:00 p.m. 
on the day of the election within 24 48 hours of that contribution or expenditure.  The 
committee is not required to include in this report expenditures for overhead expenses 
or compensation paid to an employee or other member of the campaign staff who has 
received payments at regular intervals that have been disclosed in previously filed 
campaign finance reports. As used in this paragraph, "overhead expenses" includes, but 
is not limited to, rent, utility payments, taxes, insurance premiums or similar 
administrative expenses.
Sec. 4.  21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§4-B, ¶C, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, 
§13, is further amended to read:
C.  A committee shall report any single contribution of $5,000 $10,000 or more 
received or any expenditure of $1,000 $2,500 or more made after the 14th day before 
a general or special election and more than 24 48 hours before 11:59 p.m. on the day 
of the election within 24 48 hours of that contribution or expenditure.  The committee 
is not required to include in this report expenditures for overhead expenses or 
compensation paid to an employee or other member of the campaign staff who has 
received payments at regular intervals that have been disclosed in previously filed 
campaign finance reports.  As used in this paragraph, "overhead expenses" includes, 
but is not limited to, rent, utility payments, taxes, insurance premiums or similar 
administrative expenses.
Sec. 5.  21-A MRSA §1019-B, sub-§4, as amended by IB 2023, c. 4, §3, is further 
amended to read:
4.  Report required; content; rules.  A person, party committee or political action 
committee that makes any independent expenditure in excess of $250 $1,000 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 the total 
contributions from each contributor, each expenditure in excess of $250 $1,000 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 unsworn falsification, 
as provided in Title 17‑A, section 453, a statement 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 adopts an exception for persons who lack access to the required 
technology or the technological ability to file reports electronically.
Sec. 6.  21-A MRSA §1059, sub-§2, ¶E, as amended by PL 2019, c. 323, §24, is 
further amended to read:
E.  If a committee is required to file a report 11 days before an election pursuant to 
paragraph B or C, the committee shall report any single contribution of $5,000 $10,000 
or more received or single expenditure of $1,000 $2,500 or more made after the 14th 
day before the election and more than 24 48 hours before 5:00 p.m. on the day of the 
election within 24 48 hours of that contribution or expenditure.  The treasurer is not 
required to include in this report expenditures for overhead expenses or compensation 
paid to an employee or other member of the campaign staff who has received payments 
at regular intervals that have been disclosed in previously filed campaign finance 
reports. As used in this paragraph, "overhead expenses" includes, but is not limited to, 
rent, utility payments, taxes, insurance premiums or similar administrative expenses.
Sec. 7.  Rules.  The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices shall 
amend its rules 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.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill amends campaign finance laws as follows:
1. It increases the threshold amounts for financial transactions that require candidates, 
political action committees, ballot question committees and party committees to file 
24-hour reports during the last 13 days before an election;
2. It extends the deadline for 24-hour reports so that the reports are due within 48 hours 
of the contribution or expenditure;
3. It increases the threshold amount that requires an independent expenditure report 
from spending in excess of $250 to advocate for or against a candidate to spending in excess 
of $1,000 per candidate; and
4. It directs the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to amend 
its rules 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.