Bill Text: NJ A4604 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Removes New Jersey Racing Commission from boards and commissions subject to reimbursement cap imposed in annual appropriations act providing continuation of funding by horse racing industry.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-09-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [A4604 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4604-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Removes New Jersey Racing Commission from boards and commissions subject to reimbursement cap imposed in annual appropriations act providing continuation of funding by horse racing industry.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the compensation for the expenses of the commissioners of the New Jersey Racing Commission and amending the Fiscal Year 2020 annual appropriations act, P.L.2019, c.150.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 75 of P.L.2019, c.150 is amended to read as follows:
75. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or regulation to the contrary, the amounts hereinabove appropriated to the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, Civil Service Commission, New Jersey Maritime Pilot and Docking Pilot Commission, State Athletic Control Board, Public Employment Relations Commission and Appeal Board, New Jersey State Board of Mediation, New Jersey Racing Commission, Council on Local Mandates, Garden State Preservation Trust, the various State professional boards, the Certified Psychoanalysts Advisory Committee and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee in the Department of Law and Public Safety, shall be subject to the following conditions: 1) the base salary, per diem salary, or any other form of compensation, including that for expenses, for the board members or commissioners paid for out of State funds shall not exceed $100 per month; and 2) no State funds shall be used to pay for participation in the State Health Benefits Program by board members or commissioners. No other compensation shall be paid; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to the Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the State Athletic Control Board, the Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Service
Commission, the Chairman of the Public Employment Relations Commission, and any commissioner or board member of any other State board, commission or independent authority who, in addition to being a member of the board or commission also hold a full time staff position for such entity. This paragraph shall not apply to the New Jersey Racing Commission, provided that it continues to be solely funded from horse racing industry proceeds in compliance with the provisions of current law, which proceeds are used to reimburse the commissioners for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with section 4 of P.L.1940, c.17 (C.5:5-25).
(cf: P.L.2019, c.150, s.75)
2. This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, the New Jersey Horse Racing Commission is solely funded from horse racing industry proceeds. This bill removes the New Jersey Racing Commission from the boards and commissions included in a general language provision of the State Fiscal Year 2020 annual appropriations act that caps at $100 per month, the compensation, including for expenses, paid out of State funds to members and commissioners. Notwithstanding this change, the commissioners of the New Jersey Racing Commission will still be subject to the reimbursement limits under current law.
N.J.S.A.5:5-25 states that commissioners will not receive salaries, but will be allowed to receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties up to $5,000 per year in the case of the chairman and $3,500 per year in the case of each of the other commissioners.
The New Jersey Racing Commission is fully funded from revenues from horse racing activities. Because the racing commission is funded in this way, and not funded from general State revenues, it does not need to be subject to the reimbursement cap.
