Bill Text: NJ S1766 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires every State and local elected official using agent to represent or undertake scheduling of appearances therefore to disclose information about such service.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1766 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S1766-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RONALD L. RICE
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires every State and local elected official using agent to represent or undertake scheduling of appearances therefore to disclose information about such service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring the disclosure of certain services used by State and local elected public officials, and supplementing P.L.1971, c.182 (C.52:13D-22 et seq.), P.L.1991, c.393 (C.18A:12-26 et seq.) and P.L.1991, c.29 (C.40A:9-22.1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. When the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and each member of the Legislature file an annual financial disclosure statement pursuant to an Executive Order or the Legislative Code of Ethics, as appropriate, each such official who has signed a contract with an agent or agency to represent, undertake public relations or publicity, or to schedule appearances at events, for that official shall also disclose at the same time to the State Ethics Commission or Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, as appropriate, the following information:
a. the legal name and mailing address of the agent or agency;
b. a certified copy of the contract;
c. the amount of money received by the agent or agency from the official so represented;
d. a list of all the events arranged for the official by the agent or agency, including the date, time, location, purpose, and duration of each such event;
e. a detailed accounting of:
(1) the expenses incurred by the official and the agent or agency in connection with each such event;
(2) the name of the person or organization that paid such expenses, if any; and
(3) the compensation, or fee, for the appearance provided to the official, if any, for any such appearance that is unrelated to the official's duties as an elected officeholder; and
f. the legal name and mailing address of each public employee traveling with the official to the event or accompanying the official at the event, and a description of that person's relationship with the official. The appropriate disclosure entity shall prescribe the form of the disclosure statement for filing purposes.
All information thus required shall be for the 12-month period prior to the annual disclosure deadline required by an Executive Order or the Legislative Code of Ethics, as appropriate, if a contract was in effect for that period, or for the period that the contract was in effect, if in effect for less than the 12-month period prior to an annual disclosure deadline.
The information required by this section shall be available in a readily accessible form on any official website maintained by the State Ethics Commission or the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, as appropriate, and any official website maintained by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor or a member of the Legislature, or by a committee organized for the election or re-election of such official, no later than one month following its disclosure to the disclosure entity.
2. When an elected school official files an annual financial disclosure statement pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1991, c.393 (C.18A:12-26), each such official who has signed a contract with an agent or agency to represent, undertake public relations or publicity, or to schedule appearances at events, for that official shall also disclose at the same time to the School Ethics Commission the following information:
a. the legal name and mailing address of the agent or agency;
b. a certified copy of the contract;
c. the amount of money received by the agent or agency from the official so represented;
d. a list of all the events arranged for the official by the agent or agency, including the date, time, location, purpose, and duration of each such event;
e. a detailed accounting of:
(1) the expenses incurred by the official and the agent or agency in connection with each such event;
(2) the name of the person or organization that paid such expenses, if any; and
(3) the compensation, or fee, for the appearance provided to the official, if any; and
f. the legal name and mailing address of each public employee traveling with the official to the event or accompanying the official at the event, and a description of that person's relationship with the official. The School Ethics Commission shall prescribe the form of the disclosure statement for filing purposes.
All information thus required shall be for the 12-month period prior to the annual disclosure deadline required by section 6 of P.L.1991, c.393 (C.18A:12-26), if a contract was in effect for that period, or for the period that the contract was in effect, if in effect for less than the 12-month period prior to an annual disclosure deadline.
The information required by this section shall be available in a readily accessible form on any official website maintained by the School Ethics Commission and by the school official, or by a committee organized for the election or re-election of such official, no later than one month following its disclosure to the School Ethics Commission.
3. When an elected local government officer files an annual financial disclosure statement, pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1991, c.29 (C.40A:9-22.6), each such officer who has signed a contract with an agent or agency to represent, undertake public relations or publicity, or to schedule appearances at events, for that officer shall also disclose at the same time to the Local Finance Board or the appropriate disclosure entity the following information:
a. the legal name and mailing address of the agent or agency;
b. a certified copy of the contract;
c. the amount of money received by the agent or agency from the officer so represented;
d. a list of all the events arranged for the officer by the agent or agency, including the date, time, location, purpose, and duration of each such event;
e. a detailed accounting of:
(1) the expenses incurred by the officer and the agent or agency in connection with each such event;
(2) the name of the person or organization that paid such expenses, if any; and
(3) the compensation, or fee, for the appearance provided to the officer, if any; and
f. the legal name and mailing address of each public employee traveling with the officer to the event or accompanying the officer at the event, and a description of that person's relationship with the officer. The Local Finance Board or the appropriate disclosure entity, as appropriate, shall prescribe the form of the disclosure statement for filing purposes.
All information thus required shall be for the 12-month period prior to the annual disclosure deadline required by section 6 of P.L.1991, c.29 (C.40A:9-22.6), if a contract was in effect for that period, or for the period that the contract was in effect, if in effect for less than the 12-month period prior to an annual disclosure deadline.
The information required by this section shall be available in a readily accessible form on any official website maintained by the Local Finance Board or appropriate disclosure entity, as appropriate, and by the elected local government officer, or by a committee organized for the election or re-election of such officer, no later than one month following its disclosure to the disclosure entity.
4. This act shall take effect on January 1 next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to require every State and local elected official who uses the services of an agent or any agency to represent, undertake public relations or publicity, or to schedule appearances at events, for that officer to disclose information to the public about such service.
Specifically, the bill provides that when a State or local elected official files an annual financial disclosure statement, each such officer who has signed a contract with an agent or agency to represent, undertake public relations or publicity, or to schedule appearances at events, for that official shall also disclose to the appropriate disclosure agency at the same time the following information:
a. the legal name and mailing address of the agent or agency;
b. a certified copy of the contract;
c. the amount of money received by the agent or agency from the official so represented;
d. a list of all the events arranged for the official by the agent or agency, including the date, time, location, purpose, and duration of each such event;
e. a detailed accounting of:
(1) the expenses incurred by the official and the agent or agency in connection with each such event;
(2) the name of the person or organization that paid such expenses, if any; and
(3) the compensation, or fee, for the appearance provided to the official, if any; and
f. the legal name and mailing address of each public employee traveling with the official to the event or accompanying the official at the event, and a description of that person's relationship with the official.
All information must be for the 12-month period prior to the annual disclosure deadline required by current law, an Executive Order or the Legislative Code of Ethics, as appropriate, if a contract was in effect for that period, or for the period that the contract was in effect, if in effect for less than the 12-month period prior to an annual disclosure deadline.
The required information is to be available in a readily accessible form on any official website maintained by the appropriate disclosure entity and the State or local elected official, or by a committee organized for the election or re-election of such official, no later than one month following its disclosure to the disclosure entity.
