Maine § 12022. - Financial policies and procedures

§ 12022.. Financial policies and procedures

A governing body of an entity:   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

1.  Consistency with authorizing law.  Shall ensure that all activities and expenditures of the entity are limited to those necessary to accomplish the entity's mission and to carry out the entity's duties consistent with the entity's authorizing law;

2.  Compliance with financial policies and procedures.  Shall ensure that the governing body, management and staff of the entity comply with financial policies and procedures established by the governing body;

3.  Selection of vendors.  Shall adopt by December 31, 2012 and implement by July 1, 2013 written policies and procedures governing the selection of vendors designed to ensure that the entity secures the best value in its procurements. To the extent possible, consistent with the entity's authorizing law, the policies and procedures must:

A. Establish competitive procurement as the standard procurement method;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

B. Specify the conditions under which competitive procurement may be waived; and   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

C. For procurements exceeding $10,000 that were not competitively procured, require that written justification for and evidence of approvals are maintained on file for 5 years;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

4.  Contributions.  Shall adopt by December 31, 2012 and implement by July 1, 2013 written policies and procedures governing the use of the entity's resources for contributions. To the extent possible, consistent with the entity's authorizing law, the policies and procedures must:

A. Establish criteria to ensure that contributions are directly related to the entity's mission and activities;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

B. Require that for identification and reporting purposes contributions are budgeted and accounted for separately from other expenditures in the entity's records;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

C. Establish requirements for maintaining documentation to support each contribution; and   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

D. Require that the governing body must approve the annual budget for contributions and be provided periodic reports on contributions made by the entity;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

5.  Travel, meals and entertainment.  Shall adopt by December 31, 2012 and implement by July 1, 2013 written policies and procedures governing the use of the entity's resources to pay costs of travel, meals and entertainment. To the extent possible, consistent with the entity's authorizing law, the policies and procedures must:

A. Limit travel, meal and entertainment costs to those reasonable and necessary for accomplishing the entity's mission and activities;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

B. Describe the persons for whom the entity will pay travel, meal and entertainment costs and specify the conditions under which those costs will be paid and whether directly or through reimbursement;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

C. Establish the requirements for supporting documentation and approval of travel, meal and entertainment costs paid directly or through reimbursement;   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

D. Require for identification and reporting purposes that travel, meal and entertainment costs are budgeted and accounted for separately from other expenditures in the entity's records; and   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

E. Require that the governing body must approve the annual budget for travel, meal and entertainment costs and be provided periodic reports on actual costs paid directly or reimbursed; and   [PL 2011, c. 616, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

6.  Lobbyists.  May not retain any person, other than entity staff, that is required to register as a lobbyist as defined in Title 3, section 312‑A, subsection 10.