New Jersey-2012-A2422-Introduced

An Act concerning political contributions by county and municipal political party committees and amending P.L.1973, c.83 and P.L.1993, c.65.

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

1. Section 18 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-11.3) is amended to read as follows:

18. a. No individual, other than an individual who is a candidate, no corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, no labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, or any group shall: (1) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election, or (2) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election per candidate, or (3) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election. No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee shall knowingly accept from an individual, other than an individual who is a candidate, a corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, a labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, or any group any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election, and no candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, or their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election per candidate, and no candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $2,600 per election.

b. (1) No political committee or continuing political committee shall: (a) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, or (b) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer, or the joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate, or (c) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election. No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, shall knowingly accept from any political committee or continuing political committee any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, and no candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate, and no candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election.

(2) [The limitation upon the knowing acceptance by a candidate, campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of any contribution of money or other thing of value from a political committee or continuing political committee under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall also be applicable to the knowing acceptance of any such contribution from the county committee of a political party by a candidate or the campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of a candidate for any elective public office in another county or, in the case of a candidate for nomination for election or for election to the office of member of the Legislature, in a legislative district in which, according to the federal decennial census upon the basis of which legislative districts shall have been established, less than 20% of the population resides within the county of that county committee. In addition, all contributor reporting requirements and other restrictions and regulations applicable to a contribution of money or other thing of value by a political committee or continuing political committee under the provisions of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et al.) shall likewise be applicable to the making or payment of such a contribution by such a county committee.

The limitation upon the knowing acceptance by a candidate, campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of any contribution of money or other thing of value from a political committee or continuing political committee under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, except that the amount of any contribution of money or other thing of value shall be in an amount which in the aggregate does not exceed $25,000, shall also be applicable to the knowing acceptance of any such contribution from the county committee of a political party by a candidate, or the campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of a candidate, for nomination for election or for election to the office of member of the Legislature in a legislative district in which, according to the federal decennial census upon the basis of which legislative districts shall have been established, at least 20% but less than 40% of the population resides within the county of that county committee. In addition, all contributor reporting requirements and other restrictions and regulations applicable to a contribution of money or other thing of value by a political committee or continuing political committee under the provisions of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et al.) shall likewise be applicable to the making or payment of such a contribution by such a county committee.]

(a) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate committee or a joint candidates committee. No candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall knowingly accept from a county committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(b) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a political committee. No political committee shall knowingly accept from a county committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(c) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a continuing political committee. No continuing political committee shall knowingly accept from a county committee of a political party a contribution of money or other thing of value.

(d) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make a contribution of money or other thing of value to a legislative leadership committee, or to the State committee of a political party. No legislative leadership committee and no State committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from a county committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(e) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to another county committee of a political party. No county committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from another county committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(f) No county committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a municipal committee of a political party. No municipal committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from that county committee any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(3) (a) No municipal committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate committee or a joint candidates committee. No candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall knowingly accept from a municipal committee of a political party a contribution of money or other thing of value.

(b) No municipal committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a political committee. No political committee shall knowingly accept from a municipal committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(c) No municipal committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a continuing political committee. No continuing political committee shall knowingly accept from a municipal committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(d) No municipal committee of a political party shall make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a legislative leadership committee or to the State committee of a political party. No legislative leadership committee and no State committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from a municipal committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(e) No municipal committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to another municipal committee of a political party. No municipal committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from another municipal committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value.

(f) No municipal committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a county committee of a political party. No county committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from a municipal committee a contribution of money or other thing of value.

(4) With respect to the limitations in [this paragraph] paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, the Legislature finds and declares that:

(a) Persons or organizations making contributions to the county committee of a political party or a municipal committee of a political party have a right to expect that their money will be used, for the most part, to support candidates for elective office who will most directly represent the interest of that county or municipality;

(b) The practice of allowing a county committee or municipal committee to use funds raised with this expectation to make unlimited contributions to candidates for [the Legislature] public office or to other committees or other county or municipal committees who may have a limited, or even nonexistent, connection with or interest in that county or municipality serves to undermine public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process;

(c) Furthermore, the risk of actual or perceived corruption is raised by the potential for contributors to circumvent limits on contributions to candidates by funneling money to candidates through county or municipal committees;

(d) The State has a compelling interest in preventing the actuality or appearance of corruption and in protecting public confidence in democratic institutions by limiting [amounts which] what a county committee or municipal committee may contribute to [legislative] candidates [whose districts are not located in close proximity to that county] for public office in different parts of the State, to other committees and to other county and municipal political party committees; and

(e) It is, therefore, reasonable for the State to promote this compelling interest by limiting [the amount] what a county committee or municipal committee may give to a [legislative] candidate [based upon the degree to which the population of the legislative district overlaps with the population of that county] for public office in different parts of the State, to other committees and to other county and municipal political party committees.

c. (1) No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate committee shall (a) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to another candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, or (b) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient committee, or (c) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election. No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election to the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, shall knowingly accept from another candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, and no candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient committee, and no candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election.

(2) No candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee shall (a) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to another candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing joint candidates committee, $8,200 per election, or (b) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing joint candidates committee, $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient joint candidates committee, or (c) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing joint candidates committee, $8,200 per election. No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, shall knowingly accept from other candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or joint candidates committee, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing committee, $8,200 per election, and no candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing joint candidates committee, $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient joint candidates committee, and no candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds, on the basis of each candidate in the contributing joint candidates committee, $8,200 per election.

(3) No candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall (a) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to another candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, or (b) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient joint candidates committee, or (c) pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election. No candidate who has established only a candidate committee, his campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or candidate committee, other than a candidate for nomination for election for the office of Governor or candidates for election for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, shall knowingly accept from a candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election, and no candidates who have established only a joint candidates committee, their campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer, or joint candidates committee, shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election per candidate in the recipient joint candidates committee, and no candidate who has established both a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee, the campaign treasurers, deputy campaign treasurers, or candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall knowingly accept from any such source any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $8,200 per election.

(4) Expenditures by a candidate for nomination for election or for election to the office of member of the Legislature or to an office of a political subdivision of the State, or by the campaign treasurer, deputy treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of such a candidate, which are made in furtherance of the nomination or election, respectively, of another candidate for the same office in the same legislative district or the same political subdivision shall not be construed to be subject to any limitation under this subsection; for the purposes of this sentence, the offices of member of the State Senate and member of the General Assembly shall be deemed to be the same office.

d. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to impose any limitation on contributions by a candidate, or by a corporation, 100% of the stock in which is owned by a candidate or the candidate's spouse, child, parent or sibling residing in the same household, to that candidate's campaign.

e. For the purpose of determining the amount of a contribution to be attributed as given to or by each candidate in a joint candidates committee, the amount of the contribution to or by such a committee shall be divided equally among all the candidates in the committee.

(cf: P.L.2009, c.66, s.12)

2. Section 19 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-11.4) is amended to read as follows:

19. a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, no individual, no corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, no labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, no political committee, continuing political committee, candidate committee or joint candidates committee or any other group, shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to the campaign treasurer, deputy treasurer or other representative of the State committee of a political party or the campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of any legislative leadership committee, which in the aggregate exceeds $25,000 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $25,000 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $25,000 per year from that candidate. No campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of the State committee of a political party or campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of any legislative leadership committee shall knowingly accept from an individual, a corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, a labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, a political committee, a continuing political committee, a candidate committee or a joint candidates committee or any other group, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $25,000 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $25,000 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $25,000 per year from that candidate.

(2) No national committee of a political party shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to the campaign treasurer, deputy treasurer or other representative of the State committee of a political party which in the aggregate exceeds $72,000 per year, and no campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of the State committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from the national committee of a political party any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $72,000 per year.

b. No individual, no corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, no labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, no political committee, continuing political committee, candidate committee or joint candidates committee or any other group, shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to any county committee of a political party, which in the aggregate exceeds $37,000 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $37,000 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $37,000 per year from that candidate. No campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of a county committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from an individual, a corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, a labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, a political committee, a continuing political committee, a candidate committee or a joint candidates committee or any other group, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $37,000 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $37,000 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $37,000 per year from that candidate.

c. No individual, no corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, no labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, no political committee, continuing political committee, candidate committee or joint candidates committee or any other group shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to any municipal committee of a political party, which in the aggregate exceeds $7,200 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $7,200 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $7,200 per year from that candidate. No campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of a municipal committee of a political party shall knowingly accept from an individual, a corporation of any kind organized and incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or any country other than the United States, a labor organization of any kind which exists or is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning the grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment, a political committee, a continuing political committee, a candidate committee or a joint candidates committee or any other group, any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds $7,200 per year, or in the case of a joint candidates committee when that is the only committee established by the candidates, $7,200 per year per candidate in the joint candidates committee, or in the case of a candidate committee and a joint candidates committee when both are established by a candidate, $7,200 per year from that candidate.

[No county committee of a political party in any county shall pay or make any contribution of money or other thing of value to a municipal committee of a political party in a municipality not located in that county which in the aggregate exceeds the amount of aggregate contributions which, under this subsection, a continuing political committee is permitted to pay or make to a municipal committee of a political party. No campaign treasurer, deputy campaign treasurer or other representative of a municipal committee of a political party in any municipality shall knowingly accept from any county committee of a political party in any county other than the county in which the municipality is located any contribution of money or other thing of value which in the aggregate exceeds the amount of contributions permitted to be so paid or made under that subsection.]

d. For the purpose of determining the amount of a contribution to be attributed as given by each candidate in a joint candidates committee, the amount of the contribution by such a committee shall be divided equally among all the candidates in the committee.

(cf: P.L.2004, c.174, s.4)

3. Section 22 of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-22) is amended to read as follows:

22. a. (1) Except as provided in subsection e. or f., any person, including any candidate, treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee or legislative leadership committee, charged with the responsibility under the terms of this act for the preparation, certification, filing or retention of any reports, records, notices or other documents, who fails, neglects or omits to prepare, certify, file or retain any such report, record, notice or document at the time or during the time period, as the case may be, and in the manner prescribed by law, or who omits or incorrectly states or certifies any of the information required by law to be included in such report, record, notice or document, any person who proposes to undertake or undertakes a public solicitation, testimonial affair or other activity relating to contributions or expenditures in any way regulated by the provisions of this act who fails to comply with those regulatory provisions, and any other person who in any way violates any of the provisions of this act shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be liable to a penalty of not more than $6,000 for the first offense and not more than $12,000 for the second and each subsequent offense.

(2) No person shall willfully and intentionally agree with another person to make a contribution to a candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee with the intent, or upon the condition, understanding or belief, that the recipient candidate or committee shall make or have made a contribution to another such candidate or committee, but this paragraph shall not be construed to prohibit a county or municipal committee of a political party from making a contribution or contributions to any candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee. A finding of a violation of this paragraph shall be made only upon clear and convincing evidence. A person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be liable to a penalty equal to [three] four times the amount of the contribution which that person agreed to make to the recipient candidate or committee, and shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

b. Upon receiving evidence of any violation of this section, the Election Law Enforcement Commission shall have power to hold, or to cause to be held under the provisions of subsection d. of this section, hearings upon such violation and, upon finding any person to have committed such a violation, to assess such penalty, within the limits prescribed in subsection a. of this section, as it deems proper under the circumstances, which penalty shall be paid forthwith into the State Treasury for the general purposes of the State.

c. In assessing any penalty under this section, the Election Law Enforcement Commission may provide for the remission of all or any part of such penalty conditioned upon the prompt correction of any failure, neglect, error or omission constituting the violation for which said penalty was assessed.

d. The commission may designate a hearing officer to hear complaints of violations of this act. Such hearing officer shall take testimony, compile a record and make factual findings, and shall submit the same to the commission, which shall have power to assess penalties within the limits and under the conditions prescribed in subsections b. and c. of this section. The commission shall review the record and findings of the hearing officer, but it may also seek such additional testimony as it deems necessary. The commission's determination shall be by majority vote of the entire authorized membership thereof.

e. Any person who willfully and intentionally makes or accepts any contribution in violation of section 4 of P.L.1974, c.26 (C.19:44A-29) or section 18, 19 or 20 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-11.3, C.19:44A-11.4 or C.19:44A-11.5), shall be liable to a penalty of:

(1) Not more than $10,000 if the cumulative total amount of those contributions is less than or equal to $5,000.00;

(2) Not more than $150,000 if the cumulative total amount of those contributions was more than $5,000.00 but less than $75,000; and

(3) Not more than $200,000 if the cumulative total amount of those contributions is equal to or more than $75,000.00.

f. In addition to any penalty imposed pursuant to subsection e. of this section, a person holding any elective public office shall forfeit that public office if the Election Law Enforcement Commission determines that the cumulative total amount of the illegal contributions was more than $50,000.00 and that the violation had a significant impact on the outcome of the election.

g. Any penalty prescribed in this section shall be enforced in a summary proceeding under the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).

(cf: P.L.2004, c.32, s.1)

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

The bill prohibits county and municipal political party committees from making contributions to other county and municipal political party committees and to political committees, continuing political committees, legislative leadership committees and State political party committees, except under certain circumstances.

Currently, there are no limitations on the amount of contributions that a county political party committee or municipal political party committee can make to other committees, except in certain limited circumstances.

The bill increases the penalties when a person willfully and intentionally agrees with another person to make a contribution to a candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee with the intent, or upon the condition, understanding or belief, that the recipient candidate or committee will make a contribution to another such candidate or committee. The penalty will be four times the amount of the contribution which that person agreed to make to the recipient candidate or committee (currently it is three times the contribution), and the person will be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.