Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §1002, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2001, c. 470, §3, is further amended to read:

5. Employees. The commission shall employ an administrative director and such other assistance as may be necessary to carry out its duties. The commission also shall retain a general counsel as an employee of the commission. The general counsel may not hold any other state office or otherwise be employed by the State. Compensation paid to the commission's general counsel must be paid using funds from the Maine Clean Election Fund established by Title 21-A, section 1124. The commission shall select the administrative director and general counsel by an affirmative vote of at least 4 commission members.

Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §1008, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2001, c. 430, §4, is further amended to read:

2. Election practices. To administer and investigate any violations of the requirements for campaign reports and campaign financing, including the provisions of the Maine Clean Election Act and the Maine Clean Election Fund;

Sec. 3. 1 MRSA §1008, sub-§5, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §6, is repealed.

Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §1013-A, sub-§1, śC, as amended by PL 1999, c. 729, §1, is repealed.

Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §1014, as amended by PL 1995, c. 483, §6, is further amended to read:

§1014. Publication or distribution of political statements

1. Authorized by candidate. Whenever a person makes an expenditure to finance a communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate through broadcasting stations, newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertising facilities, direct mails or other similar types of general public political advertising or through flyers, handbills, bumper stickers and other nonperiodical publications, the communication, if authorized by a candidate, a candidate's authorized political committee or their agents, the expenditure must be authorized by a candidate pursuant to section 1015, subsection 10.__The communication must clearly and conspicuously state that the communication has been so authorized and must clearly state the name and address of the person who made or financed the expenditure for the communication. The following forms of political communication do not require the name and address of