ASSEMBLY STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1118

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 20, 1996

      The Assembly State Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1118.

      This bill requires that each legislative agent or lobbyist shall annually provide each member of the Legislature, legislative staff, the Governor, the Governor's staff, or an officer or staff member of the Executive Branch who receives a benefit required to be disclosed in the agent or lobbyist's annual financial report to the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) under the "Legislative Activities Disclosure Act of 1971" with a full written and certified report of the benefit, including a description of the benefit, the amount of the benefit, the date it was provided and to whom it was paid. The reports would be transmitted to the recipients of the benefits no later than February 1 of each year and cover benefits provided in the immediately preceding calendar year.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 1996 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee adopted amendments to the bill as referred to the committee revising the schedule for lobbyists' and legislative agents' reports to recipients of benefits, the passing of which must be disclosed to ELEC, from a quarterly to an annual schedule.