Maine § 354. - Public comment on proposed amendments and statewide referenda; rules; fees

§ 354.. Public comment on proposed amendments and statewide referenda; rules; fees

The Secretary of State shall adopt rules regarding the publication of public comment by proponents and opponents of direct initiatives, bond issues, constitutional resolutions or statewide referenda. These rules must include, but are not limited to, a word limit, the labeling of public comment as supporting or opposing a measure and the identification of the person or persons responsible for the comment. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A. Beginning with the November 2006 election and every election thereafter, the Secretary of State shall publish the public comment, along with the explanatory statement and fiscal estimate required under section 353, on a publicly accessible site on the Internet and in pamphlets distributed to the municipalities of the State. A person filing a public comment for publication shall pay a fee of $500 to the Secretary of State. Fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited in the Public Comment Publication Fund established under Title 5, section 90‑D.   [PL 2011, c. 342, §2 (AMD).]