An Act To Prohibit Payment per Signature on Petitions for Direct Initiatives and People's Veto Referendums
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §904-C is enacted to read:
§ 904-C. Payment per signature; prohibition
1. Findings. The Legislature finds that the practice of paying persons who collect signatures for initiative or referendum petitions based on the number of signatures the persons collect has corrupted the signature collecting process and is eroding public confidence in the petition process. The Legislature finds that the large numbers of invalidated signatures that have been collected during petition efforts by persons who were paid for the number of signatures collected provides strong evidence that the practice of paying for signatures collected has corrupted the signature gathering process. The Legislature further finds that the State has a vital interest in ensuring that the signature gathering process is not corrupted by practices that erode public confidence in the petition process.
2. Payment per signature. A circulator of an initiative or referendum petition, a direct initiative or people's veto organization registered in accordance with section 903-C or a person who causes the circulation of an initiative or referendum petition may not receive payment for the collection of signatures if that payment is based on the number of signatures collected. This section does not prohibit a circulator of an initiative or referendum petition, a direct initiative or people's veto organization registered in accordance with section 903-C or a person who causes the circulation of an initiative or referendum petition from being paid a salary or fee that is not based on the number of signatures collected.
summary
This bill prohibits the circulator or person who causes the circulation of an initiative or referendum petition or a petition organization from receiving payment for the collection of signatures based on the number of signatures collected. The bill clarifies that a salary or fee for the collection of signatures is not prohibited if it is not based on the number of signatures collected.