SP0101
LD 361
Session - 129th Maine Legislature
 
LR 482
Item 1
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Political Action Committees

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1006  is enacted to read:

§ 1006 Participation in political action committees by legislative candidates

1 Establishing a political action committee prohibited.   A legislative candidate may not establish a political action committee for which the candidate is a treasurer or principal officer or for which the candidate is primarily responsible for fund-raising or decision making. This prohibition applies between April 1st immediately preceding a general election through:
A The date on which the candidate withdraws from a race;
B The date of the primary election or general election for a candidate who loses either election; or
C January 1st immediately preceding the next general election for a candidate who wins the general election.

This prohibition also applies to a legislative candidate in a special election, except that the prohibition begins on the date of the candidate's nomination. This subsection does not prohibit a legislative candidate, including a legislative candidate who wins a general or special election, from engaging in fund-raising or decision making for a party caucus political action committee, a ballot question committee or a political action committee formed for the purpose of promoting or opposing a ballot question. This prohibition applies to a legislative candidate regardless of the date on which the political action committee was established.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§6-F,  as enacted by PL 2015, c. 116, §1 and affected by §2, is amended to read:

6-F. Gubernatorial candidate participation in political action committees.  A participating gubernatorial candidate or a certified gubernatorial candidate may not establish a political action committee for which the gubernatorial candidate is a treasurer or principal officer or for which the gubernatorial candidate is primarily responsible for fund-raising or decision making. This prohibition applies between April 1st immediately preceding a general election through:
A. The date on which the gubernatorial candidate withdraws from a race;
B. The date of the primary election or general election for a gubernatorial candidate who loses either election; or
C. January 1st immediately preceding the next general election for a gubernatorial candidate who wins the general election.

This prohibition also applies to a participating gubernatorial candidate or certified gubernatorial candidate in a special election, except that the prohibition begins on the date of the gubernatorial candidate's nomination. This subsection does not prohibit a participating gubernatorial candidate or certified gubernatorial candidate, including a certified gubernatorial candidate who wins a general or special election, from engaging in fund-raising or decision making for a party caucus political action committee, a ballot question committee or a political action committee formed for the purpose of promoting or opposing a ballot question. This prohibition applies to a participating gubernatorial candidate or certified gubernatorial candidate regardless of the date on which the political action committee was established.

summary

This bill prohibits a legislative candidate from establishing a political action committee for which the candidate is a treasurer or principal officer or for which the candidate is primarily responsible for fund-raising or decision making. The bill also makes a change to a provision under the Maine Clean Election Act, which includes the same prohibition, to specify that the prohibition in that Act applies only to participating gubernatorial candidates and certified gubernatorial candidates.


Top of Page