SENATE, No. 1392

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 11, 2016

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  LORETTA WEINBERG

District 37 (Bergen)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Prohibits lawyers and law firms who lobby public entity from simultaneous employment or contract with that public entity.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act placing restrictions on certain individuals and business entities that seek to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes, and supplementing P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-19 et seq.), P.L.1991, c.393 (C.18A:12-21 et seq.), and P.L.1991, c.29 (40A:9-22.1 et seq.).

 

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

 

     1.    No person licensed to practice law in this State who, and no firm, partnership, company, or other business entity comprised principally of attorneys practicing law in this State that, is seeking to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-20), as a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent in the Executive or Legislative Branch or an agency thereof shall at the same time accept employment with, be employed by, or hold a contract with the Executive or Legislative Branch or an agency thereof.

 

     2.    No person licensed to practice law in this State who, and no firm, partnership, company, or other business entity comprised principally of attorneys practicing law in this State that, is seeking to influence regulation or governmental processes, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-20) but as applied at the school district level, as a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent in a local school district or an agency thereof shall at the same time accept employment with, be employed by, or hold a contract with that local school district or an agency thereof.

 

     3.    No person licensed to practice law in this State who, and no firm, partnership, company, or other business entity comprised principally of attorneys practicing law in this State that, is seeking to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-20) but as applied at the local government level, as a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent in a local government agency or an instrumentality thereof shall at the same time accept employment with, be employed by, or hold a contract with that local government agency or an instrumentality thereof.

 

     4.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     The purpose of this bill is to prohibit any person licensed to practice law in this State who, and any firm, partnership, company, or other business entity comprised principally of attorneys practicing law in this State that, is seeking to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes in the Executive or Legislative Branch, a local school district, or a local government agency, from at the same time accepting employment with, being employed by, or holding a contract with that same public entity. 

     The term "influence legislation, regulation or government processes" used in the bill would have the same meaning as provided in the "Legislative and Governmental Process Activities Disclosure Act," N.J.S.A.52:13C-19 et seq.