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| 6. Restrictions on contributions and expenditures for certified | | candidates. After certification, a candidate must limit the | | candidate's campaign expenditures and obligations, including | | outstanding obligations, to the revenues distributed to the | | candidate from the fund and may not accept any contributions unless | | specifically authorized by the commission. Candidates may also | | accept and spend interest earned on bank accounts. All revenues | | distributed to certified candidates from the fund must be used for | | campaign-related purposes. The commission shall publish guidelines | | outlining permissible campaign-related expenditures. |
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| | | Sec. 32. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§14, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §17, | | is amended to read: |
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| | | 14. Appeals. A candidate who has been denied certification | as a Maine Clean Election Act candidate or | | candidate who has been granted certification as a Maine Clean | | Election Act candidate or other interested persons may challenge | | a certification decision by the commission as follows. |
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| | A. A challenger may appeal to the full commission within 3 | | 7 days of the certification decision. The appeal must be in | | writing and must set forth the reasons for the appeal. |
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| | | B. Within 5 days after an appeal is properly made and after | | notice is given to the challenger and any opponent, the | | commission shall hold a hearing. The appellant has the | | burden of providing evidence to demonstrate that the | | commission decision was improper. The commission must rule | | on the appeal within 3 days after the completion of the | | hearing. |
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| | | C. A challenger may appeal the decision of the commission | | in paragraph B by commencing an action in Superior Court | | according to the procedure set forth in section 356, | | subsection 2, paragraphs D and E. |
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| | | D. A candidate whose certification by the commission as a | | Maine Clean Election Act candidate is revoked on appeal must | | return to the commission any unspent revenues distributed | | from the fund. If the commission or court find that an | | appeal was made frivolously or to cause delay or hardship, | | the commission or court may require the moving party to pay | | costs of the commission, court and opposing parties, if any. |
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| | | Sec. 33. 21-A MRSA §1127, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2003, c. 81, §1, is | | further amended to read: |
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