Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA c. 5, sub-c. 2 is amended by repealing the subchapter headnote and enacting the following in its place:

SUBCHAPTER 2

BY PETITION AND PAYMENT OF FEE

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §351, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:

The nomination of a candidate, other than by a party, for any federal, state or county office must be made by petition, as provided in this subchapter, or, in the case of a nomination of a candidate for State Senator or State Representative, by payment of a nomination fee as provided in section 354-A.

Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §354-A is enacted to read:

§354-A.__Optional method of nomination by payment

A candidate for State Senator or State Representative may obtain a nomination by paying a fee of $250 to the Secretary of State.__All fees collected under this section must be deposited in the Maine Clean Election Fund established in section 1124.

Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §355, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:

The written consent of each candidate must be filed with his the candidate's nomination petition or with the candidate's nomination fee as described in section 354-A.

Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §1124, sub-§2, ¶¶G and H, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §17, are amended to read:

G. Voluntary donations made directly to the fund; and

H. Fines collected under section 1020-A, subsection 4 and section 1127.; and

Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §1124, sub-§2, ¶I is enacted to read:

I.__Nomination fees collected under section 354-A.