Maine lobbying guidelines
| Lobbyist registration guidelines |
|---|
|
| Related pages |
| Lobbying |
| Taxpayer-funded lobbying |
| Guidelines by state |
Lobbying is broadly defined as the attempt to persuade another person to accept one's position. This includes efforts to influence lawmakers by other legislators, constituents, or organized groups. Each state has different requirements for lobbyist registration. The person doing the lobbying is typically referred to as the lobbyist and the person or entity providing compensation the principal. Each state has a different entity responsible for maintaining its lobbying records, such as registrations and expenditures.
As of April 2021, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices maintained the state's lobbying records.
Who must register?
Section 312 of the Maine Revised Statutes requires lobbyists to register with the state:[1]
| “ |
Every employer of a lobbyist and every lobbyist and lobbyist associate who lobbies on behalf of that employer shall register jointly at the office of the commission no later than 15 business days after commencement of lobbying and pay a registration fee of $200 for the registration of each lobbyist and $100 for the registration of each lobbyist associate or such other amounts as the commission determines approximate the cost to the commission of administering and enforcing the provisions of this chapter.[2] |
” |
Section 312-A of the Maine Revised Statutes defines a lobbyist as:[3]
| “ |
"Lobbyist" means any person who is specifically employed by another person for the purpose of and who engages in lobbying in excess of 8 hours in any calendar month, or any individual who, as a regular employee of another person, expends an amount of time in excess of 8 hours in any calendar month in lobbying. "Lobbyist" does not include a lobbyist associate. "Lobbyist" does not include an individual who receives no compensation for lobbying other than reimbursement for lobbying-related travel within the State and reimbursement for other out-of-pocket expenditures made by the individual for printing, postage and food and lodging connected with lobbying activities paid for by the individual. For the purposes of this subsection, "reimbursement for other out-of-pocket expenditures" does not include reimbursement for the individual's time spent lobbying that would have been otherwise compensated by an employer or in the course of the individual's employment.[2] |
” |
Click here to visit the state's searchable database of registrations and quarterly filings.
State definition of lobbying
Section 312-A of the Maine Revised Statutes defines lobbying as:[4]
| “ |
"Lobbying" means to communicate directly with any official in the legislative branch or any official in the executive branch or with a constitutional officer for the purpose of influencing any legislative action or with the Governor or the Governor's cabinet and staff for the purpose of influencing the approval or veto of a legislative action when reimbursement for expenditures or compensation is made for those activities. "Lobbying" includes the time spent to prepare and submit to the Governor, an official in the legislative branch, an official in the executive branch, a constitutional officer or a legislative committee oral and written proposals for, or testimony or analyses concerning, a legislative action. "Lobbying" does not include time spent by any person providing information to or participating in a subcommittee, stakeholder group, task force or other work group regarding a legislative action by the appointment or at the request of the Governor, a Legislator or legislative committee, a constitutional officer, a state agency commissioner or the chair of a state board or commission. [2] |
” |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Maine Legislature, "Maine Revised Statutes," accessed on April 12, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ [http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/3/title3sec312-A.html Maine Legislature, "Maine Revised Statutes," accessed April 12, 2021
- ↑ [http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/3/title3sec312-A.html Maine Legislature, "Maine Revised Statutes," accessed April 12, 2021
| |||||
