21-A §1124. The Maine Clean Election Fund established; sources of funding
Title 21-A: ELECTIONS
Chapter 14: THE MAINE CLEAN ELECTION ACT HEADING: IB 1995, C. 1, §17 (NEW)
§1124. The Maine Clean Election Fund established; sources of funding
1. Established. The Maine Clean Election Fund is established to finance the election campaigns of certified Maine Clean Election Act candidates running for Governor, State Senator and State Representative and to pay administrative and enforcement costs of the commission related to this Act. The fund is a special, dedicated, nonlapsing fund and any interest generated by the fund is credited to the fund. The commission shall administer the fund.
[ IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW) .]
2. Sources of funding. The following must be deposited in the fund:
A. The qualifying contributions required under section 1125 when those contributions are submitted to the commission; [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
B. Two million dollars of the revenues from the taxes imposed under Title 36, Parts 3 and 8 and credited to the General Fund, transferred to the fund by the State Controller on or before January 1st of each year, beginning January 1, 1999. These revenues must be offset in an equitable manner by an equivalent reduction within the administrative divisions of the legislative branch and executive branch agencies. This section may not affect the funds distributed to the Local Government Fund under Title 30-A, section 5681. [2007, c. 443, Pt. B, §4 (AMD).]
C. Revenue from a tax checkoff program allowing a resident of the State who files a tax return with the State Tax Assessor to designate that $3 be paid into the fund. If a husband and wife file a joint return, each spouse may designate that $3 be paid. The State Tax Assessor shall report annually the amounts designated for the fund to the State Controller, who shall transfer that amount to the fund; [1999, c. 4, Pt. H, §1 (AMD).]
D. Seed money contributions remaining unspent after a candidate has been certified as a Maine Clean Election Act candidate; [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
E. Fund revenues that were distributed to a Maine Clean Election Act candidate and that remain unspent after the candidate has lost a primary election or after all general elections; [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
F. Other unspent fund revenues distributed to any Maine Clean Election Act candidate who does not remain a candidate throughout a primary or general election cycle; [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
G. Voluntary donations made directly to the fund; and [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
H. Fines collected under section 1020-A, subsection 4 and section 1127. [IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW).]
[ 2007, c. 443, Pt. B, §4 (AMD) .]
3. Determination of fund amount. If the commission determines that the fund will not have sufficient revenues to cover the likely demand for funds from the Maine Clean Election Fund in an upcoming election, by January 1st the commission shall provide a report of its projections of the balances in the Maine Clean Election Fund to the Legislature and the Governor. The commission may submit legislation to request additional funding or an advance on revenues to be transferred pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph B.
[ RR 2007, c. 1, §12 (COR) .]
SECTION HISTORY
IB 1995, c. 1, §17 (NEW). 1999, c. 4, §H1 (AMD). 2001, c. 559, §OO1 (AMD). 2001, c. 714, §RR1 (AMD). 2003, c. 673, §EE1 (AMD). RR 2007, c. 1, §12 (COR). 2007, c. 443, Pt. B, §§4, 5 (AMD).