Maine Representative Stacey Guerin (R-Glenburn) has introduced LD 53, to make it illegal to pay initiative circulators on a per-signature basis. The bill is very carelessly worded. Usually bills to do this are careful to specify that initiative proponents are free to award bonuses to high-performing circulators, but this bill simply bans all payment on the basis of how many signatures were collected, without discussing the nuances.

If the bill passes, it must then get a popular vote in 2018, because it is a constitutional amendment. Thanks to several people for the news.