SENATE, No. 1593

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED OCTOBER 7, 1996

By Senator ADLER

An Act concerning the adjustment for inflation of certain amounts under "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act" 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. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 27 of P.L.1993, c.65 or any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the adjustment prescribed under subsection a. of section 22 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-7.2) to the amounts set forth in subsection b. of that section 22 shall not be made until the year 2000; the amounts to which that subsection b. refers that were in effect on December 31, 1993 shall remain in effect through December 31, 2000; and the percentage to be used in making the adjustment to those amounts under that subsection a. not later than December 1, 2000 shall be the same as the percentage of change applied at that time to the amounts used for the primary and general elections for the office of Governor, in the manner prescribed by that subsection a.

    Any adjustment under subsection a. of section 22 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-7.2) that the Election Law Enforcement Commission may have made in the amounts set forth in subsection b. of that section 22 on or before the effective date of this act shall be void. The commission shall promulgate regulations repealing any such adjustment and providing for implementation during the period ending on December 31, 2000 of the amounts set forth in that subsection b. that were in effect immediately prior to the adjustment so repealed.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill delays implementation under the 1993 revision of "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act" of the adjustment for inflation of various statutorily prescribed amounts governed by the Reporting Act. Under the 1993 law (P.L.1993, c.65), the initial adjustment of those amounts is to be made in 1996, and the amounts so adjusted are to be applicable for the quadrennial period from January 1, 1997 through December 31, 2000. Under the bill, the initial adjustment would be delayed until the year 2000 and be applicable to the quadrennial period beginning January 1, 2001.

    The bill provides that any adjustment under the 1993 law that the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) may promulgate prior to the enactment of this legislation is to be void. It further directs ELEC to issue regulations repealing that adjustment and providing for implementation instead during the quadrennium ending on December 31, 2000 of the amounts in effect immediately before the adjustment was made.

    The statutory amounts subject to adjustment under the 1993 law are primarily those pertaining to limits on contributions in non-gubernatorial campaigns that were established by that law and to disclosure requirements established under earlier revisions of the Reporting Act. The legislation would not delay the adjustment, also scheduled to be made in 1996, of amounts relating to the campaigns of candidates for the office of Governor.

Defers until 2000 implementation of the adjustment for inflation of certain amounts under "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act."