New Jersey-2014-S775-Introduced

An Act requiring the disclosure of campaign contributions received and expenditures by any individual seeking election as a political party committee officer, and amending P.L.1973, c.83.

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

1. Section 16 of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-16) is amended to read as follows:

16. a. The campaign treasurer of each candidate committee and joint candidates committee shall make a full cumulative report, upon a form prescribed by the Election Law Enforcement Commission, of all contributions in the form of moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value, made to him or to the deputy campaign treasurers of the candidate committee or joint candidates committee, and all expenditures paid out of the election fund of the candidate or candidates, during the period ending with the second day preceding the date of the cumulative report and beginning on the date of the first of those contributions, the date of the first of those expenditures, or the date of the appointment of the campaign treasurer, whichever occurred first. The report shall also contain the name and mailing address of each person or group from whom moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value were contributed after the second day preceding the date of the previous cumulative report and the amount contributed by each person or group, and where an individual has made such contributions, the report shall indicate the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer. In the case of any loan reported pursuant to this section, the report shall further contain the name and mailing address of each person who cosigns such loan, the occupation of the person and the name and mailing address of the person's employer. If no moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value were contributed, the report shall so indicate, and if no expenditures were paid or incurred, the report shall likewise so indicate. The campaign treasurer and the candidate or several candidates shall certify the correctness of the report.

b. During the period between the appointment of the campaign treasurer and the election with respect to which contributions are accepted or expenditures made by him, the campaign treasurer shall file his cumulative campaign report (1) on the 29th day preceding the election, and (2) on the 11th day preceding the election; and after the election he shall file his report on the 20th day following such election. Concurrent with the report filed on the 20th day following an election, or at any time thereafter, the campaign treasurer of a candidate committee or joint candidates committee may certify to the Election Law Enforcement Commission that the election fund of such candidate committee or joint candidates committee has wound up its business and been dissolved, or that business regarding the late election has been wound up but the candidate committee or joint candidates committee will continue for the deposit and use of contributions in accordance with section 17 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-11.2). Certification shall be accompanied by a final accounting of such election fund, or of the transactions relating to such election, including the final disposition of any balance remaining in such fund at the time of dissolution or the arrangements which have been made for the discharge of any obligations remaining unpaid at the time of dissolution. Until the candidate committee or joint candidates committee is dissolved, each such treasurer shall continue to file reports in the form and manner herein prescribed.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall promulgate regulations providing for the termination of post-election campaign reporting requirements applicable to political committees, candidate committees and joint candidates committees. The requirements to file quarterly reports after the first post-election report may be waived by the commission, notwithstanding that the certification has not been filed, if the commission determines under any regulations so promulgated that the outstanding obligations of the political committee, candidate committee or joint candidates committee do not exceed 10% of the expenditures of the campaign fund with respect to the election or $1,000.00, whichever is less, or are likely to be discharged or forgiven.

A candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall file with the Election Law Enforcement Commission, not later than April 15, July 15, October 15 of each calendar year in which the candidate or candidates in control of the committee does or do not run for election or reelection and January 15 of each calendar year in which the candidate or candidates does or do run for election or reelection, a cumulative quarterly report of all moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value contributed to it or to the candidate or candidates during the period ending on the 15th day preceding that date and commencing on January 1 of that calendar year or, in the case of the cumulative quarterly report to be filed not later than January 15, of the previous calendar year, and all expenditures made, incurred, or authorized by it or the candidate or candidates during the period, whether or not such expenditures were made, incurred or authorized in furtherance of the election or defeat of any candidate, or in aid of the passage or defeat of any public question or to provide information on any candidate or public question. The commission may by regulation require any such candidate committee or joint candidates committee to file during any calendar year one or more additional cumulative reports of such contributions received and expenditures made as may be necessary to ensure that no more than five months shall elapse between the last day of a period covered by one such report and the last day of the period covered by the next such report.

The commission, on any form it shall prescribe for the reporting of expenditures by a candidate committee or joint candidates committee, shall provide for the grouping together of all expenditures under the category of "campaign expenses" under paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 17 of P.L.1993, c.65, identified as such, and for the grouping together, separately, of all other expenditures under the categories prescribed by paragraphs (2) through (6) of that subsection. The cumulative quarterly report due on April 15 in a year immediately after the year in which the candidate or candidates does or do run for election or reelection shall contain a report of all of the contributions received and expenditures made by the candidate or candidates since the 18th day after that election.

The cumulative quarterly report shall contain the name and mailing address of each person or group from whom moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value have been contributed and the amount contributed by each person or group, and where an individual has made such contributions, the report shall indicate the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer. In the case of any loan reported pursuant to this section, the report shall contain the name and address of each person who cosigns such loan, and where an individual has cosigned such loans, the report shall indicate the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of his employer. The report shall also contain the name and address of each person, firm or organization to whom expenditures have been paid and the amount and purpose of each such expenditure. The treasurer of the candidate committee or joint candidates committee and the candidate or candidates shall certify to the correctness of each cumulative quarterly report.

c. In the case of an election of a candidate for an office elected by a municipal or countywide constituency or a school district a duplicate copy of the campaign treasurer's report, duly certified, shall be filed at the same time with the county clerk of the county in which the candidate resides and the county clerk shall retain a written record of that filing for a period of not less than four years following the date of the election.

d. There shall be no obligation to file the reports required by this section on behalf of a candidate if such candidate files with the Election Law Enforcement Commission a sworn statement to the effect that the total amount to be expended in behalf of his candidacy by the candidate committee, by any political party committee, by any political committee, or by any person shall not in the aggregate exceed $2,000.00 or $4,000 for any joint candidates committee containing two candidates or $6,000 for any joint candidates committee containing three or more candidates. The sworn statement may be submitted at the time when the name and address of the campaign treasurer and depository is filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission, provided that in any case the sworn statement is filed no later than the 29th day before an election. If a candidate who has filed such a sworn statement receives contributions from any one source aggregating more than $300 he shall forthwith make report of the same, including the name and mailing address of the source and the aggregate total of contributions therefrom, and where the source is an individual, the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer, to the Election Law Enforcement Commission. The $300 limit established in this subsection shall remain as stated in this subsection without further adjustment by the commission in the manner prescribed by section 22 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-7.2).

e. There shall be no obligation imposed upon a candidate seeking election to a public office of a school district to file either the reports required under subsection b. of this section or the sworn statement referred to in subsection d. of this section, if the total amount expended and to be expended in behalf of his candidacy by the candidate committee, any political committee, any continuing political committee, or a political party committee or by any person, does not in the aggregate exceed $2,000.00 per election or $4,000 for any joint candidates committee containing two candidates or $6,000 for any joint candidates committee containing three or more candidates; provided, that if such candidate receives contributions from any one source aggregating more than $300, he shall forthwith make a report of the same, including the name and mailing address of the source, the aggregate total of contributions therefrom, and where the source is an individual, the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer, to the commission.

The $300 limit established in this subsection shall remain as stated in this subsection without further adjustment by the commission in the manner prescribed by section 22 of P.L.1993, c.65 (C.19:44A-7.2).

f. In any report filed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the names and addresses of contributors whose contributions during the period covered by the report did not exceed $300 may be excluded; provided, however, that (1) such exclusion is unlawful if any person responsible for the preparation or filing of the report knew that such exclusion was made with respect to any person whose total contributions relating to the same election and made to the reporting candidate or to an allied campaign organization or organizations aggregate, in combination with the total contributions in respect of which such exclusion is made, more than $300, and (2) any person who knowingly prepares, assists in preparing, files or acquiesces in the filing of any report from which the identity of any contributor has been excluded contrary to the provisions of this section is subject to the provisions of section 21 of this act, but (3) nothing in this proviso shall be construed as requiring any candidate committee or joint candidates committee reporting pursuant to this act to report the amounts, dates or other circumstantial data regarding contributions made to any other candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee or legislative leadership committee.

g. Any report filed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall include an itemized accounting of all receipts and expenditures relative to any testimonial affair held since the date of the most recent report filed, which accounting shall include the name and mailing address of each contributor in excess of $300 to such testimonial affair and the amount contributed by each; in the case of any individual contributor, the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer; the expenses incurred; and the disposition of the proceeds of such testimonial affair.

h. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1993, c.65.)

i. Each campaign treasurer of a candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall file written notice with the commission of a contribution in excess of $500 received during the period between the 13th day prior to the election and the date of the election and of an expenditure of money or other thing of value in excess of $800 made, incurred or authorized by the candidate committee or joint candidates committee to support or defeat a candidate in an election, or to aid the passage or defeat of any public question, during the period between the 13th day prior to the election and the date of the election, provided that a candidate shall not be required to file written notice pursuant to this subsection of an expenditure made to support his or her own candidacy, or to support or defeat a candidate for the same office in an election. For the purposes of this subsection, the offices of member of the Senate and member of the General Assembly shall be deemed to be the same office in a legislative district; the offices of member of the board of chosen freeholders and county executive shall be deemed to be the same office in a county; and the offices of mayor and member of the municipal governing body shall be deemed to be the same office in a municipality.

The notice of a contribution shall be filed in writing or by telegram within 48 hours of the receipt of the contribution and shall set forth the amount and date of the contribution, the name and mailing address of the contributor, and where the contributor is an individual, the occupation of the individual and the name and mailing address of the individual's employer. The notice of an expenditure shall be filed in writing or by telegram within 48 hours of the making, incurring or authorization of the expenditure and shall set forth the name and mailing address of the person, firm or organization to whom or which the expenditure was paid and the amount and purpose of the expenditure.

j. The requirements of this section that apply to a candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates committee shall also apply to any individual who has received contributions and made expenditures while seeking election as an officer of a political party committee. The requirements of this section that apply to a campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer shall also apply to the treasurer or deputy treasurer of any individual who has received contributions and made expenditures while seeking election as an officer of a political party committee.

(cf: P.L.2004, c.33, s.3)

2. This act shall take effect on January 1 next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

The purpose of this bill is to require the public disclosure of any campaign contributions received or expenditures made by any individual who has received contributions and made expenditures while seeking election as an officer of a political party committee. Such disclosure would be made through the Election Law Enforcement Commission in the same manner and on the same schedule as required by current law for candidates seeking election to public office, and the candidate committee or joint candidate committees of such candidates.