Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1015, sub-§10 is enacted to read:

10.__Advertising expenditures limited to general election campaign period.__Candidates for the office of Governor, the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, the State House of Representatives and the State Senate and political committees and political action committees may not make or contract to make expenditures to finance a communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate in the upcoming general election through broadcasting stations, newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertising facilities, direct mails or other similar means of general public political advertising or through flyers, handbills, bumper stickers and other nonperiodical publications, except during the general election campaign period in the year that the candidate is seeking office.__For the purposes of this subsection, "general election campaign period" means July 1st of the year of the general election through the date of the general election. This subsection does not prohibit making expenditures expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate in a primary or special election.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes a general election campaign period and prohibits advertising expenditures by candidates for Governor, United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, State Senate and State House of Representatives and political committees and political action committees for communications advocating the election or defeat in the general election of a clearly identified candidate except during that period. This bill does not prohibit advertising expenditures for primary or special elections.