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An Act To Improve Requirements for Reporting to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1014, sub-§2-C  is enacted to read:
 
2-C.  Communications distributed by mail.     Whenever a person makes an expenditure to finance a communication described in subsection 1, and the communication is to be distributed by mail, the communication must be posted for delivery within 14 days of the date of the expenditure. A copy of the communication must be sent to the commission by mail in the same manner and form and at the same time as it is sent to those persons the communication is intended to influence.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1055-A, sub-§3  is enacted to read:
 
3.  Communications distributed by mail.     Whenever a person makes an expenditure to finance a communication described in subsection 1, and the communication is to be distributed by mail, the communication must be posted for delivery within 14 days of the date of the expenditure. A copy of the communication must be sent to the commission by mail in the same manner and form and at the same time as it is sent to those persons the communication is intended to influence.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing expenditures made for political communications advocating the election or defeat of a candidate or the election or defeat of a ballot measure. The bill requires communications made by mail to be posted for delivery within 14 days of the expenditure being made. The bill also requires that a copy of the communication be sent to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices in the same manner and form and at the same time as it is sent to those persons the communication is intended to influence.