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An Act To Limit the Participation of Candidates and Legislators in Political Action Committees and Nonprofit Entities Conducting Political Activities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1013-A, sub-§6  is enacted to read:
 
6.  Candidate and Legislator participation in organizations active in candidate campaigns prohibited.     A candidate or Legislator may not solicit donations or play any other role for any nonprofit entity that is active in campaigns in the State unless the nonprofit entity limits its political activities to ballot questions for the duration of the election cycle. For purposes of this subsection, "nonprofit entity" includes any tax-exempt organization under 26 United States Code, Section 501. Nothing in this subsection prohibits a candidate from raising funds for a state, district, county or municipal political committee or for an organization exempt from taxation under 26 United States Code, Section 501(c)(3). The commission may establish by routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A forms and procedures for ensuring compliance with this subsection.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1052-A, sub-§6  is enacted to read:
 
6.  Candidate and Legislator participation in political action committees active in candidate campaigns prohibited.     A candidate or Legislator may not solicit contributions for or play any other role in a political action committee registered under this section or an out-of-state political action committee registered under section 1053-B unless the committee agrees to make expenditures only with regard to ballot questions for the duration of the election cycle. Nothing in this subsection prohibits candidate involvement in a candidate's own campaign registered under section 1013-A, subsection 1, paragraph A or B or in a state, district, county or municipal political committee. The commission may establish by routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A forms and procedures for ensuring compliance with this subsection.
 
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits a candidate or current Legislator from soliciting contributions for or playing any role in a political action committee or a nonprofit entity unless the organization limits its activities to ballot questions for the duration of the election cycle.