Bill Text: NJ A2381 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires issue advocacy organization using certain candidate information in advertisements to register with ELEC as political committee or continuing political committee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-06 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A2381 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A2381-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AMY H. HANDLIN
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires issue advocacy organization using certain candidate information in advertisements to register with ELEC as political committee or continuing political committee.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring issue advocacy organization using certain candidate information in advertisements to register as political committee or continuing political committee, and supplementing P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. An issue advocacy organization which uses the name, photograph, or likeness of any candidate, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-3), in any advertisement paid for by that organization and published within 60 days preceding a general or special or within 30 days of a primary election shall register with the Election Law Enforcement Commission as a political committee or continuing political committee, as determined by the commission, and shall be deemed to be such a committee for the purposes of P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.).
b. As used in this section:
"advertisement" means any paid communication with members of the public made via radio, television, newspaper or other printed material, the Internet, telephone, direct mail or otherwise; and
"issue advocacy organization" means any individual, group or organization, including but not limited to an organization organized under section 527 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.527), which accepts contributions or makes expenditures and pays for advertising for the purpose of influencing public opinion but which does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for State or local elective public office.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require an issue advocacy organization which uses the name, photograph or likeness of any candidate for State or local elective public office in any advertisement paid for by that organization and published within 60 days preceding a general or special or within 30 days of a primary election to register with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) as a political committee or continuing political committee, as determined by ELEC, and to be deemed to be such a committee for the purposes of "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act," N.J.S.A.19:44A-1 et seq. The bill defines "issue advocacy organization" as any individual, group or organization, including but not limited to an organization organized under section 527 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.527), which accepts contributions or makes expenditures and pays for advertising for the purpose of influencing public opinion but which does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for State or local elective public office. "Advertisement" is defined as any paid communication with members of the public made via radio, television, newspaper or other printed material, the Internet, telephone, direct mail or otherwise.
