Sec. 18. 21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§4-A, ¶E, as amended by PL 2003, c. 628, Pt. B, §4, is further amended to read:

E. A state party committee shall report any expenditure of $500 or more, made after the 12th day before the election and more than 24 hours before 5:00 p.m. on the day of the election, within 24 hours of that expenditure or by noon of the first business day after the expenditure, whichever is later.

Sec. 19. 21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§4-B, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 628, Pt. A, §2, is amended to read:

C. Any contribution or expenditure of $1,000 or more made after the 12th day before any election and more than 24 hours before that election must be reported within 24 hours of that contribution or expenditure or by noon of the first business day after the contribution or expenditure, whichever is later.

Sec. 20. 21-A MRSA §1017-A, sub-§4-C is enacted to read:

4-C.__Electronic filing.__Beginning January 1, 2006, state party committees shall file each report required by this section through an electronic filing system developed by the commission.__ The commission may make an exception to this electronic filing requirement if a party committee submits a written request that states that the party committee lacks access to the technology or the technological ability to file reports electronically.__The request for an exception must be submitted by March 1st of the election year.__The commission shall grant all reasonable requests for exceptions.

Sec. 21. 21-A MRSA §1018-B is enacted to read:

§1018-B.__Recounts of elections

1.__Reporting.__Candidates who are involved in a recount of an election shall file a report 90 days after the election containing itemized accounts of cash, goods and services received for the recount and payments made by the candidate for the recount.__The reports must be made on forms prepared and sent by the commission.__Persons donating services to the candidate are