An Act Concerning Citizens' Initiatives and Public Disclosure of Influence

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1056-B, first ¶,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 729, §8, is amended to read:

Any person not defined as a political committee who solicits and receives contributions or makes expenditures, other than by contribution to a political action committee, aggregating in excess of $1,500 $3,000 for the purpose of initiating, promoting, defeating or influencing in any way a ballot question must file a report with the commission. In the case of a municipal election, a copy of the same information must be filed with the clerk of that municipality.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1056-B, sub-§1-A  is enacted to read:

Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §1056-B, sub-§4  is enacted to read:

summary

This bill raises the amount of contributions or expenditures that triggers the requirement for a person not defined as a political committee but who solicits contributions or makes expenditures to influence a ballot question to file a report with the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices from $1,500 to $3,000. The bill also classifies in-kind expenditures and staff time as expenditures for purposes of reporting and requires the identification of contributions that make up a difference when contributions exceed expenditures by more than $5,000.