Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN ARMATO
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires annual General Fund appropriation to DMVA for purposes of base realignment and closure.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning an annual appropriation for the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and supplementing P.L.1992, c.86 (C.38A:3-16 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or regulation to the contrary, there shall be appropriated annually an amount not to exceed $200,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the preservation of military installations in the event of federal action on base realignment and closure.
b. Any contract or agreement with a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent to be paid, in part or in whole, from funds appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall be awarded every two years in a manner substantially similar to the process set forth in P.L.1997, c.399 (C.52:34-9.1 et seq.).
c. No later than July 15th of each year, the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall file a written report that details each expenditure from the funds appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section during the immediately preceding State fiscal year ending June 30th.
The report shall be accompanied by copies of the receipts for each item or service purchased or for which an expenditure was made at a cost greater than a de minimus amount, together with: (1) the name and mailing address of the person, business, or organization receiving payment; and (2) a brief description of the item or service.
The report shall be available as a public record pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) and shall be posted on the website of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill will require an annual appropriation not to exceed $200,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the Council on Armed Forces and Veterans' Affairs for the preservation of military installations in the event of federal action taken on base realignment and closure.
The bill also requires a competitive contracting process to be followed every two years for any contract or agreement with a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent to assist with the preservation of military installations.
In addition, the bill requires an annual report to be submitted by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs that details each expenditure from the funds provided for the preservation of military installations. The report is to be available as a public record and posted on the website of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.