SENATE, No. 759

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996

By Senator BUBBA

An Act concerning the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and supplementing P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-1 et seq.).

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

    1. a. Each member of the authority shall file with the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards a financial disclosure statement listing all assets and liabilities, property and business interests, and sources of income of the member and the member's spouse and a financial disclosure statement listing all assets and liabilities, property and business interests, and sources of income of the member's parents, siblings and children. Statements shall be under oath and shall be filed at the time of appointment and annually thereafter.

    b. Each employee of the authority, except for secretarial and clerical personnel, shall file with the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards a financial disclosure statement listing all assets and liabilities, property and business interests, and sources of income of the employee and the employee's spouse. A statement shall be under oath and shall be filed at the time of employment and annually thereafter.

    2. a. The "New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law," P.L.1971, c.182 (C.52:13D-12 et seq.) shall apply to the members and employees of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, except as herein specifically provided.

    b. Within 90 days after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the Legislature as this bill), the authority shall revise its code of ethics, promulgated pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1971, c.182 (C.52:13D-23), to include provisions modeled on the code of ethics promulgated by the Casino Control Commission pursuant to section 59 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-59). The code of ethics shall include, but not be limited to, provisions that address the propriety of relationships and dealings between the authority and its staff, and licensees and applicants for licensure under the Casino Control Act, P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-1 et seq.). The code of ethics may be more restrictive than required by the laws of this State.

    c. The authority shall submit the revised code of ethics to the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards for its approval.

    d. The code of ethics shall include, but not be limited to, the following provisions:

    (1) no member or employee of the authority shall act in an official capacity in any matter in which the member or employee, or the spouse, child, parent or sibling of the member or employee, has a direct or indirect personal financial interest which might reasonably be expected to impair the objectivity or independence of judgment of the member or employee; and

    (2) no authority member shall meet with any person, except for another member or employee of the authority, or discuss any issues involving any matter whatsoever which may reasonably be expected to come before the authority unless the authority is informed of the meeting in a statement specifying what was discussed thereat and the statement is filed with the secretary of the authority. All meetings or discussions subject to this paragraph shall be noted in a log maintained for this purpose and available for public inspection pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.).

    The code shall not include a prohibition on gambling in the casinos in this State by a member or employee of the authority.

     e. No member or employee of the authority shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in any applicant or any person licensed or registered with the Casino Control Commission while holding office or employment except as may be permitted by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the Legislature as this bill).

    f. A member of the authority may engage in gainful employment to the extent that it does not interfere with the duty of the member to the commission.

    g. An employee of the commission may engage in such other gainful employment as shall not interfere or be in conflict with the employee's duty to the authority, upon approval of the authority.

    h. No member or employee of the authority shall:

    (1) use the official authority or influence of the member or employee for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or nomination for office;

    (2) directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command or advise any person to pay, lend or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency or person for political purposes; or

    (3) hold any federal, State or local government elective public office or take any active part in political campaigns or the management thereof; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit a member or employee from voting as he chooses or from expressing personal opinions on political subjects or candidates.

    3. a The provisions of this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall not apply to any member of the authority who also serves as a member of the Casino Control Commission or as State Treasurer or who is appointed to the authority by the Governor as a representative of the casino hotel industry.

    b. The provisions of subsection h. of section 2 of this act shall not apply to the member of the authority who is also the Mayor of Atlantic City.

    c. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3) of subsection h. of section 2 of this act, a member or employee of the authority who, on the effective date of this act, also holds an elective public office, other than the office of Mayor of Atlantic City, may continue to serve as a member or employee of the authority, and shall be eligible for subsequent appointments as a member or subsequent employment as an employee, as the case may be, while holding that elective public office and may take an active part in political campaigns for that elective public office.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be applicable in all respects to members of the authority on the effective date.

STATEMENT

    This bill supplements the "Casino Control Act," P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-1 et seq.), to establish ethical standards for the members and employees of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), by requiring CRDA members and employees to file financial disclosure statements and mandating that the authority revise its code of ethics to include provisions modeled on the code of ethics promulgated by the Casino Control Commission. The bill stipulates that except as otherwise provided, the "New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law" shall apply to CRDA members and employees.

    The provisions of this bill would not apply to a CRDA member who: (1) also serves as a member of the Casino Control Commission; (2) is the State Treasurer; or (3) is appointed to the authority by the Governor as a representative of the casino hotel industry. The limits on political activity would not apply to the CRDA member who also serves as the Mayor of Atlantic City, and a member or employee of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority on the effective date of this act (other than the Mayor of Atlantic City) who also holds an elective public office may continue to serve as a member or employee of the authority, and shall be eligible for subsequent appointments as a member or employee, while holding that elective office.

Establishes certain ethical standards for members and employees of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.