[Fourth Reprint]

SENATE, No. 598

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator  JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Senator  JOSEPH P. CRYAN

District 20 (Union)

Assemblyman  KEVIN J. ROONEY

District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)

Assemblyman  ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK

District 18 (Middlesex)

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Addiego, Gopal, T.Kean, O'Scanlon, Thompson, Turner, Diegnan, Assemblymen Verrelli, Peterson, Mazzeo, Armato, DiMaio, Assemblywomen Chaparro, Quijano, Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblyman Zwicker, Assemblywoman Sumter, Assemblymen Mejia and Wimberly

SYNOPSIS

      Raises pay for election workers to $300 per day; appropriates $7,000,000 to Department of State.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly State and Local Government Committee on November 15, 2021, with amendments.

An Act concerning compensation for election workers and amending R.S.19:45-6 and P.L.2001, c.245 and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

      1.   R.S.19:45-6 is amended to read as follows:

      19:45-6.     The compensation of each member of the district boards for all services performed by them under the provisions of this Title shall be as follows:

      In all counties, for all services rendered including the counting of the votes, and in counties wherein voting machines are used, the tabulation of the votes registered on the voting machines, and the delivery of the returns, registry binders, ballot boxes and keys for the voting machines to the proper election officials, [$200] ¹[$300] ²[$275¹] ⁴[$400 or the State minimum wage required pursuant to Article I, paragraph 23 of the New Jersey Constitution, whichever is greater,²] $300⁴ each time the primary election, the general election or any special election is held under this Title; provided, however, that:

      a.   (1)  The member of the board charged with the duty of obtaining and signing for the signature copy registers shall receive an additional $12.50 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or $6.25 to each of two board members if they share such responsibility for the signature copy registers, and (2) the member of the board charged with the duty of returning the signature copy registers shall receive an additional $12.50 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or $6.25 to each of two board members if they share such responsibility for the signature copy registers;

      b.   In the case of any member of the board who is required under R.S.19:50-1 to attend in a given year a training program for district board members, ³[but who] ⁴[the member shall receive $50.00 after the completion of the training program.  If the member³ ] but who⁴ fails to attend such a training program in that year, that compensation ⁴[³for the member³ ] ⁴ shall be $50.00 for each of those elections;

      c.   In counties wherein voting machines are used no compensation shall be paid for any services rendered at any special election held at the same time as any primary or general election. Such compensation shall be in lieu of all other fees and payments; and

      d.   Compensation for district board members serving at a school election held at a time other than the time of the general election shall be paid by the board of education of the school district conducting the election at an hourly rate of $5.77, except that the board of education may compensate such district board members at a pro-rated hourly rate consistent with the daily rate up to a maximum of ¹[$14.29] $19.64¹. The provisions of subsections a., b., and c. of this section shall also apply to district board members serving at a school election held at a time other than at the time of the general election, except that in the case of subsection b., the compensation shall be at an hourly rate of $3.85.

      Compensation due each member shall be paid within 30 days but not within 20 days after each election; provided, however, that no compensation shall be paid to any member of any such district board who may have been removed from office or application for the removal of whom is pending under the provisions of R.S.19:6-4.

        ⁴In the case of any member of the board who is required under R.S.19:50-1 to attend in a given year a training program for district board members, a county may provide, at its discretion, compensation to such a member who attends the training program in an amount determined by the county, and the compensation shall be an expense of the county.⁴

(cf: P.L.2011, c.202, s.32)

      2.   Section 6 of P.L.2001, c.245 (C.19:45-6.2) is amended to read as follows:

      6.   In accordance with the provisions of Art.VIII, Sec.II, par.5 of the Constitution, upon application for reimbursement by a county governing body to the ²[Attorney General] Secretary of State² and approval of the application by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, a county shall be reimbursed by the State for:

      a.   compensation to each member of the district board of elections who shall have served at the general election, the primary election, and any nonpartisan municipal, special, or recall election, and who shall have qualified for and been paid [$200] ¹[$300] ²[$275¹] ⁴[$400 or the State minimum wage required pursuant to Article I, paragraph 23 of the New Jersey Constitution, whichever is greater,²] $300⁴ for such service in accordance with R.S.19:45-6, the sum ²[of]² [$125] ¹[$225] ²[$200¹] ⁴[equal to the compensation paid less $75²] of $225⁴; and

      b.   any additional costs incurred by the county as a result of the provisions of this act, ²[P.L.2001, c.245] ⁴[P.L.    , c.   (pending before the Legislature as this bill)²] P.L.2001, c.245⁴.

(cf: P.L.2001, c.245, s.6)

      3.   There is appropriated from the State General Fund to the Department of State the sum of ⁴[$5,000,000] $7,000,000⁴ to be distributed among the counties subject to the requirements of ²[sections 1 and] section 6 of P.L.2001, c.245 (C.19:45-6.2), as amended by section² 2 of this act, P.L.   , c.     (pending before the Legislature as this bill), as reimbursement for the costs of implementing the provisions of this act.

     4.    This act shall take effect immediately.