PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 392

31-2.

(a)     In this subtitle the following terms have the meanings indicated unless
otherwise provided.

(b)     "Candidate" means a Governor-Lieutenant Governor unit.

(c)     "Comptroller" means the State Comptroller of the treasury.

(d)     "Eligible candidate" means a candidate who has qualified to receive a public
contribution.

(e)     "Eligible private contribution" means that portion of a MONETARY OR IN
KIND campaign contribution, or series of contributions, from an individual that does not
exceed [$250] $500.

(f)     "Fund" means the "Fair Campaign Financing Fund".

(g)     "Public contribution" means a sum disbursed from the Fair Campaign
Financing Fund to a candidate according to the provisions of this subtitle.

(h) "Seed money" means a sum of lawfully raised eligible private contributions
that is 15 10 percent of the maximum campaign expenditure limit provided under § 31-3
for an election.

(i)     "State Administrator" means the State Administrator of Election Laws.

(j)     "State Board" means the State Administrative Board of Election Laws.

(k)    "Treasurer" includes a campaign subtreasurer.

31-3.

(a)     (1) 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] 30 cents multiplied by the population of the State
ADJUSTED ANNUALLY, BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1997, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.

(2) EXPENDITURES MADE ON BEHALF OF THE CANDIDATE BY STATE
OR LOCAL PARTISAN CENTRAL COMMITTEES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION.

(b)     For purposes of this section, the population of the State 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)     The candidate, and any chairman or treasurer associated with the
expenditure, are jointly and severally liable civilly and criminally for any expenditure
made in violation of this section.

[(d) Provisions in this section shall not be applicable to any election held prior to
January 1, 1991.]

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