2016 Maryland Code
Election Law
Title 15 - Public Financing Act
§ 15-103. Fair Campaign Financing Fund

(a) Established. -- There is a Fair Campaign Financing Fund.

(b) Administration. -- The Comptroller shall administer the Fund in accordance with this section.

(c) Money in Fund. -- In accordance with this title, the Comptroller shall:

(1) credit to the Fund:

(i) all money collected under this title;

(ii) voluntary contributions to the Fund made electronically through the State Board's Web site;

(iii) fees, fines, and penalties assessed under this article or the General Provisions Article that are expressly allocated to the Fund by law;

(iv) an anonymous contribution paid to the Fund under § 13-239 of this article;

(v) surplus campaign funds paid to the Fund under § 13-247 of this article; and

(vi) contributions to the Fund made through the checkoff on the individual income tax return established under § 2-113.1 of the Tax - General Article;

(2) subject to the usual investing procedures for State funds, invest the money in the Fund; and

(3) make distributions from the Fund promptly on authorization by the State Board.

(d) Procedure for distributions. -- The Comptroller shall distribute public contributions:

(1) only on authorization of the State Board; and

(2) as to each eligible gubernatorial ticket, to the same campaign account of a single campaign finance entity established under Title 13, Subtitle 2 of this article.

(e) Report of Fund balance. -- The Comptroller shall submit a statement of the Fund's balance to the State Board at the State Board's request and on May 15 of each year.

(f) Payment of administrative costs. -- To pay costs directly related to the administration of this title, the State Board may expend in each fiscal year an amount of money in the Fund that does not exceed the lesser of:

(1) 3% of the Fund's balance, as calculated on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or

(2) $ 100,000.