Bill Text: NJ S1910 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Clarifies that certain ethical standards apply to Governor and Governor's staff.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1910 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1910-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator THOMAS GOODWIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Clarifies that certain ethical standards apply to Governor and Governor's staff.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act clarifying that the Governor and the Governor's staff are subject to certain ethical standards and amending P.L.1971, c.182.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.1971, c.182 (C.52:13D-13) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in this act, and unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
a. "State agency" means any of the principal departments in the Executive Branch of the State Government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by such department, the office of the Governor, the Legislature of the State and any office, board, bureau or commission within or created by the Legislative Branch, and, to the extent consistent with law, any interstate agency to which New Jersey is a party and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency. A county or municipality shall not be deemed an agency or instrumentality of the State.
b. "State officer or employee" means any person, other than a special State officer or employee (1) holding an office or employment in a State agency, including the Governor but excluding an interstate agency, other than a member of the Legislature or (2) appointed as a New Jersey member to an interstate agency.
c. "Member of the Legislature" means any person elected to serve in the General Assembly or the Senate.
d. "Head of a State agency" means (1) in the case of the Executive Branch of government, except with respect to interstate agencies, the department head or, if the agency is not assigned to a department, the Governor, and (2) in the case of the Legislative Branch, the chief presiding officer of each House of the Legislature.
e. "Special State
officer or employee" means (1) any person holding an office or employment
in a State agency, excluding an interstate agency, for which office or
employment no compensation is authorized or provided by law, or no compensation
other than a sum in reimbursement of expenses, whether payable per diem or per
annum, is authorized or provided by law; (2) any person, not a member of the Legislature,
holding a part-time elective or appointive office or employment in a State
agency, excluding an interstate agency, or (3) any person appointed as a New
Jersey
member to an interstate agency the duties of which membership are not
full-time.
f. "Person" means any natural person, association or corporation.
g. "Interest" means (1) the ownership or control of more than 10% of the profits or assets of a firm, association, or partnership, or more than 10% of the stock in a corporation for profit other than a professional service corporation organized under the "Professional Service Corporation Act," P.L.1969, c.232 (C. 14A:17-1 et seq.); or (2) the ownership or control of more than 1% of the profits of a firm, association, or partnership, or more than 1% of the stock in any corporation, which is the holder of, or an applicant for, a casino license or in any holding or intermediary company with respect thereto, as defined by the "Casino Control Act," P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-1 et seq.). The provisions of this act governing the conduct of individuals are applicable to shareholders, associates or professional employees of a professional service corporation regardless of the extent or amount of their shareholder interest in such a corporation.
h. "Cause, proceeding, application or other matter" means a specific cause, proceeding or matter and does not mean or include determinations of general applicability or the preparation or review of legislation which is no longer pending before the Legislature or the Governor.
i. "Member of the immediate family" of any person means the person's spouse, child, parent or sibling residing in the same household.
(cf: P.L.1987, c.432, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill clarifies that the Governor and the Governor's staff are subject to the provisions of the "New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law," N.J.S.A.52:13D-12 et seq. It amends the act's definition of "State agency" to include the office of the Governor and the definition of "State officer or employee" to include the Governor. This will ensure that the Governor and the staff employed in the Governor's office are subject to the same standards of ethical conduct that are currently applicable to State officers and employees.
