Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §1008, sub-§6, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §6, is amended to read:

6. Enhanced monitoring; source of revenue. To provide for enhanced monitoring and enforcement of election practices and to institute electronic submission of reports and computerized tracking of campaign, election and lobbying information under the commission's jurisdiction. Funds to support enhanced monitoring and computerized data collection must come from the commission's share of Maine Clean Election Fund established pursuant to Title 21-A, section 1124; lobbyist registration fees, penalties and other revenues pursuant to Title 3, section 320 as well as other revenue sources chapter 15; and from other entities that may benefit from the commission's acquisition and use of an electronic data collection and disclosure system.

Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §313, as amended by IB 1995, c. 1, §7, is further amended to read:

§313. Registration of lobbyists and employers

Every employer of a lobbyist and every lobbyist and lobbyist associate who lobbies on behalf of that employer shall register jointly at the office of the commission no later than 15 business days after commencement of lobbying and pay a registration fee determined by the commission. The fee must be at least $400 of $200 for the registration of each lobbyist and at least $200 $100 for the registration of each lobbyist associate or such other amounts as the commission determines based upon the cost to the commission of administering and enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

Sec. 3. 3 MRSA §320, first ¶, as amended by IB 1995, c. 1, §8, is further amended to read:

Fees collected pursuant to this chapter must go in equal portions to the General Fund and to the commission and be deposited in a special, dedicated, nonlapsing account and any interest generated by that account must be credited to the account.

SUMMARY

This bill reduces the registration fee paid annually by lobbyists and lobbyist associates and provides for all fees collected to be credited to a dedicated lobbyist registration fee account administered by the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. The bill also provides that the electronic