328

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 104

boards greater of 1                                  1

or $500                     or $500
Publicly elected
political party

offices greater of 0.5                              not

or $1,000             applicable]

(A) A CANDIDATE WHO APPLIES FOR AND ACCEPTS A PUBLIC
CONTRIBUTION FROM THE FAIR CAMPAIGN FINANCING FUND MAY NOT
EXPEND, IN THE APPLICABLE ELECTION, AN AMOUNT IN EXCESS OF THE
PRODUCT OF 20 CENTS MULTIPLIED BY THE POPULATION OF THE STATE.

(b) For purposes of this section, the population of the
State[, district, or other area in which the election is to be
held] shall be determined on January 1 of the year in which the
election is to be held in accordance with the most recent
decennial United States census, or a more recent population
estimate prepared for the State by the State Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene if this is available.

[(c) Effective January 1, of each year, the Board shall
adjust the expenditure limits set forth in subsection (a) to
reflect annual changes in the rate of inflation or deflation as
indicated by the consumer price index (all items - U.S. city
average) published monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The base for this adjustment shall be the consumer
price index at the end of the first quarter of calendar year
1974.

(d) No expenditure of cash may be made by any treasurer in
excess of $25 to any single recipient.]

[(e)] (C) The CANDIDATE, AND ANY CHAIRMAN OR TREASURER
ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXPENDITURE, [treasurer of a candidate, and
the candidate] are jointly and severally liable civilly and
criminally for any expenditure made [by the treasurer] in
violation of this section.

[(f) In a general election a political party may spend in
support of a candidate of the political party the greater of $250
or 1/4 cent per person for the population in the area from which
the candidate seeks to be elected in addition to the expenditure
limit set forth in subsection (a) of this section.]

[(9)] (D) Provisions in this section shall not be
applicable to any [primary or general] election held prior to
January 1, [1986] 1990;

31-4.

(a) (1) There is established the "Fair Campaign Financing
Fund" which shall be administered by the Comptroller in
accordance with the provisions of §§ 31-11 and 31-12 of this
article.