STATE OF NEW JERSEY
212th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2006 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator ELLEN KARCHER
District 12 (Mercer and Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Asselta, Coniglio, Connors and Weinberg
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits political contributions by all State and local public agencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act prohibiting political contributions by public agencies and supplementing P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A public agency shall not pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value, whether out of public funds or any other funds which the public agency may control, to any candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee, and no such candidate or committee shall accept such contribution.
Any person who willfully and intentionally makes or accepts a contribution in violation of this section shall be liable to the penalties set forth in subsections e. and f. of section 22 of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-22).
As used in this section,"public agency" means any of the principal departments in the Executive Branch of State Government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by such department; the Legislature of the State and any office, board, bureau or commission within or created by the Legislative Branch; and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency, including any public institution of higher education. The terms also mean any political subdivision of the State or combination of political subdivisions, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by a political subdivision of the State or combination of political subdivisions, and any independent authority, commission, instrumentality or agency created by a political subdivision or combination of political subdivisions.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to prevent public funds, as well as any other funds controlled by a State or local public agency, from being used to influence the political process.
The bill prohibits a public agency from contributing to a candidate for elective public office or to any candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee. It also prohibits a candidate or committee from accepting such a contribution. "Public agency" is defined broadly to include every State or local government entity, including a public institution of higher education.
A person who willfully and intentionally violates the bill's provisions will be liable to a penalty of up to $200,000 depending on the amount of the illegal contribution. In addition, a violator who holds an elective public office may be required to forfeit that office under certain circumstances