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An Act To Amend the Laws Pertaining to Lobbying
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §312-A, sub-§9,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 446, Pt. A, §5, is further amended to read:
 
9. Lobbying.   "Lobbying" means to communicate directly with any official in the Legislature for the purpose of influencing any legislative action or with the Governor for the purpose of influencing the approval or veto of a legislative action when reimbursement for expenditures or compensation is made for those activities. It includes the time spent to prepare and submit to the Governor, a Legislator or a legislative committee oral and written proposals for, or testimony or analyses concerning, a legislative action. "Lobbying" includes solicitation.
Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §312-A, sub-§14-A  is enacted to read:
 
14-A.  Solicitation.     "Solicitation" means any advertising, including television, radio, print and Internet advertising, or telemarketing used for the purpose of influencing any legislative action.
Sec. 3. 3 MRSA §317, sub-§1, ¶E-1  is enacted to read:
 
E-1.  The specific dollar amount of expenditures for solicitation made during the month for the primary purpose of influencing legislative action.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the definition of "lobbying" to include the solicitation of others to influence legislative action and defines "solicitation." The bill also requires a lobbyist to include in the lobbyist's monthly report to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices the specific dollar amount of expenditures for solicitation.