Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:

2-A.__Restrictions on below-market discounts.____If campaign materials purchased by a participating candidate to support the election of that candidate are purchased at a cost of less than 75% of the expected market cost for those materials, the difference between the cost and the expected market cost of those materials is considered a contribution for the purposes of subsection 2.__As used in this subsection, "expected market cost" means the median cost of campaign materials as determined by the commission index of prices.__The commission shall create an annually updated index of prices for the per unit cost of campaign materials based on campaign finance reports submitted to the commission.__The commission shall publish this index in one or more of the publications it provides to candidates.

SUMMARY

Current law prohibits candidates participating in the Maine Clean Election Act from receiving contributions as a term of participation. This bill considers discounts on campaign materials to be contributions if the cost of the materials is less than 75% of the expected market cost. Under this bill, expected market cost would be determined by the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices using an annually updated index of prices based on data from campaign finance reports.