STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman JOSEPH CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Prieto
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain arbitrators to file financial disclosure statements.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act requiring certain arbitrators to file financial disclosure statements and supplementing P.L.1977, c.85 (C.34:13A-14 et seq.)
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Each arbitrator appointed to the Public Employment Relations Commission's special panel of arbitrators pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1977, c.85 (C.34:13A-16) shall annually file a financial disclosure statement with the commission. All financial disclosure statements filed pursuant to this act shall include the following information which shall specify, where applicable, the name and address of each source:
(1) Each source of income, earned or unearned, exceeding $2,000 received by the arbitrator or a member of his immediate family during the preceding calendar year. Individual client fees, customer receipts or commissions on transactions received through a business organization need not be separately reported as sources of income. If a publicly traded security or interest derived from a financial institution is the source of income, the security or interest derived from a financial institution need not be reported unless the arbitrator or member of his immediate family has an interest in the business organization or financial institution;
(2) Each source of fees and honorariums having an aggregate amount exceeding $250 from any single source for personal appearances, speeches or writings received by the arbitrator or a member of his immediate family during the preceding calendar year;
(3) Each source of gifts, reimbursements or prepaid expenses having an aggregate value exceeding $250 from any single source, excluding relatives, received by the arbitrator or a member of his immediate family during the preceding calendar year; and
(4) The name and address of all business organizations in which the arbitrator or a member of his immediate family had an interest during the preceding calendar year.
b. The commission shall prescribe a financial disclosure statement form for filing purposes. Initial financial disclosure statements shall be filed within 90 days following the effective date of this act. Thereafter, statements shall be filed on or before April 30th each year.
c. All financial disclosure statements filed shall be public records.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires arbitrators appointed to the Public Employment Relations Commission's special panel of arbitrators to annually file a financial disclosure statement with the commission. The special panel of arbitrators are those who specifically focus on negotiations involving public fire and police department employees.
It is in the public's interest to ensure neutrality among arbitrators involved in the negotiation of contracts for the public police and fire departments in this State. Under the bill, the financial disclosure statements filed by the arbitrators will be public information. By providing transparency of the arbitrator's financial holdings, the impartiality of the arbitrators will be reinforced.