Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §1014, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1975, c. 621, §1, is amended to read:

2. Undue influence. It is presumed that a conflict of interest exists where there are circumstances which that involve a substantial risk of undue influence by a Legislator, including but not limited to the following cases.:

A. Appearing for, representing or assisting another in a matter before a state agency or authority, unless without compensation and for the benefit of a constitutent constituent, except for attorneys or other professional persons engaged in the conduct of their professions.

(1) Even in the excepted cases, an attorney or other professional person must refrain from references to his the professional's legislative capacity, from communications on legislative stationery and from threats or implications relating to legislative action.;

B. Representing or assisting another in the sale of goods or services to the State, a state agency or authority, unless the transaction occurs after public notice and competitive bidding.; or

C.__Intervening in an action before a state agency or authority, whose membership is composed of board or commission members who are confirmed to their positions by the legislative committee of jurisdiction on which the Legislator sits.__Attorneys and other professional persons engaged in the conduct of their business are not excepted from this paragraph.

SUMMARY

This bill makes it a conflict of interest for a Legislator to intervene in an action before a state agency or authority whose members are appointed by the legislative committee on which the Legislator serves.