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An Act Concerning ELECTIONS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCE ACT FOR the purposes of reducing the influence of money on politics and reducing corruption. By adding to Article Election Law Title 15 Public Campaign Finance Act Section 15-112 Annotated Code of Maryland (a) VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS -(1) CANDIDATES MAY CERTIFY TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT THE CANDIDATES COMMITTEE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE FOLLOWING SPENDING LIMITS FOR THE APPLICABLE ELECTION CYCLE: (i) 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A CANDIDATE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL OR COMPTROLLER (ii) 90 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A CANDIDATE FOR THE STATE SENATE (iii) 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A CANDIDATE FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. (2) EACH CANDIDATE WHO CHOOSES TO ACCEPT THE APPLICATION SPENDING LIMIT SHALL FILE A STATEMENT TO THAT EFFECT WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE TIME THAT THE CANDIDATE FILES A CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY. (3) IF A CANDIDATE ACCEPTS THE APPLICABLE SPENDING LIMIT AND ANOTHER CANDIDIATE FOR THE SAME OFFICE REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE SPENDING LIMIT, THE ACCEPTING CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE TEN DAYS TO WITHDRAW ACCEPTANCE. THE ACCEPTING CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE THIS OPTION OF WITHDRAWING ACCEPTANCE AFTER EACH ADDITIONAL NON-ACCEPTING CANDIDATE FOR THE SAME OFFICE ENTERS THE RACE. (4) THE APPLICABLE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS SHALL DOUBLE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO HAS ACCEPTED THE APPLICABLE VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMIT IF: (i) ANOTHER CANDIDATE IN THE RACE HAS NOT ACCEPTED THE VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMIT. (ii) THE NON-ACCEPTING CANDIDATE HAS RAISED MORE THAN TEN PERCENT OF THE APPLICABLE SPENDING LIMIT. (5) ONLY THOSE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE AGREED TO ABIDE BY THE APPLICABLE VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMIT MAY ADVERTISE THEIR COMPLIANCE. ALL OTHER CANDIDATES ARE PROHIBITED FROM ADVERTISING, OR IN ANY WAY IMPLYING THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMITS. (6) EACH SPENDING LIMIT SHALL BE ADJUSTED UPON THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD IN THE UNITED STATE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR WASHINGTON-BALTIMORENORTHERN VIRGINIA, ALL ITEMS, ALL CONSUMERS, ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL CALCULATE THE ADJUSTMENTS EVERY FOUR YEARS. (7) IF A CANDIDATE ACCEPTS THE SPENDING LIMIT BUT SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEEDS THE LIMIT, HE/SHE MUST PAY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE EXCESS EXPENDITRES

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THE STATE. THIS PENALTY CANNOT COME FROM CAMPAIGN FUNDS; IT MUST COME FROM THE CANDIDATES PERSONAL FUNDS. PUBLIC FINANCING (1) CANDIDATES WHO ACCEPT THE VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMIT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC FINANCING PROVIDED THAT: (i) THE CANDIDIATE IS NOT UNOPPOSED (ii) THE CANDIATE RAISES FIVE PERCENT OF THE APPLICABLE SPENDING LIMIT FROM INDIVDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF 500 DOLLARS OR LESS (a) CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CANIDIATES AND HIS/HER IMMEDIATE FAMILY DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THIS THRESHOLD. (2) THE FUNDS FOR PUBLIC FINANCING WILL COME FROM FAIR CAMPAIGN FINANCING FUND. (i) TAX PAYERS WILL BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO CONTRIBUTE A PORTION OF THEIR TAXES TO THE FAIR CAMPAIGN FINANCING FUND. (ii) THE REMAINDER OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS WILL BE APPROPIATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND IF THEY ARE NEEDED. (3) ONCE THE CANDIDATE DEMOSTRATES THAT HE/SHE HAS REACHED THE FIVE PERCENT THRESHOLD, HE/SHE WILL RECEIVE A GRANT EQUAL TO 50% OF THE APPLICABLE SPENDING LIMIT.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, that this Act shall take effect on January 1st, 2013. MANDATES: Martin OMalley, Governor of Maryland Robert L. Walker, Chairman, Maryland State Board of Elections Linda H. Lamone, Maryland State Administrator of Elections John P. McDonough, Maryland Secretary of State James N. Robey, Maryland State Senator, District 13 Guy Guzzone, Maryland State Delegate, District 13 Shane E. Pendergrass, Maryland State Delegate, District 13 Frank S. Turner, Maryland State Delegate, District 13

SPONSOR: Nicole Zimmerman, St. Marys College of Maryland