Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1021 is enacted to read:

§1021.__Leadership allowance

A candidate for a leadership position in the Legislature may raise up to $10,000 in a calendar year to be used in the candidate's campaign for the leadership position.__A contribution received under this section may not exceed $250 and may not be made by a corporation, political action committee or lobbyist registered under Title 3, chapter 15.__Funds received under this section may not be used in a campaign for a legislative seat.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §17, is amended to read:

2. Restrictions on contributions for participating candidates. Subsequent to becoming a candidate as defined by section 1, subsection 5 and prior to certification, a participating candidate may not accept contributions, except for seed money contributions. A participating candidate must limit the candidate's seed money contributions to the following amounts:

A. Fifty thousand dollars for a gubernatorial candidate;

B. One thousand five hundred dollars for a candidate for the State Senate; or

C. Five hundred dollars for a candidate for the State House of Representatives.

The commission may, by rule, revise these amounts to ensure the effective implementation of this chapter. This subsection does not apply to a contribution accepted pursuant to section 1021.

SUMMARY

This bill allows a candidate for a legislative leadership position to raise up to $10,000 in a calendar year for a leadership allowance to be used in the campaign for the leadership position. Contributions to a leadership allowance may not exceed $250 and may not come from corporations, political action committees or lobbyists. Funds in a leadership allowance may not be used in campaigns for legislative seats. The leadership allowance is available to both regular and Maine Clean Election Act candidates.