Bill Text: NJ S4051 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires court to respond within 24 hours for election-related actions arising within 14 days of election; authorizes ELEC to petition court to suspend campaign accounts of persons who violate campaign finance laws.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-06-30 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S4051 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S4051-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires court to respond within 24 hours for election-related actions arising within 14 days of election; authorizes ELEC to petition court to suspend campaign accounts of persons who violate campaign finance laws.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning election and campaign finance matters before the courts and supplementing chapter 1 of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes and 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. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever an election-related cause of action authorized pursuant to the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes is brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in this State in the 14 days preceding the election to which the cause of action relates, the court shall render an initial judgment within 24 hours, or in the shortest amount of time deemed practicable by the court.
If the court finds an action brought under the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes to be frivolous, the court may impose reasonable penalties on the parties, as the court may deem appropriate.
2. Upon a finding that any person, including any candidate, treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee, violated State campaign finance laws as set forth in P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.), the Election Law Enforcement Commission may petition the Superior Court to immediately suspend, on a temporary or permanent basis, the campaign accounts affiliated with the person, including the candidate, treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee or legislative leadership committee, found to be responsible for the violation.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that any time a cause of action authorized by the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, the State's election laws, is brought in this State in the 14 days preceding an election the court will provide an initial judgment within 24 hours. If the court finds an action brought under the provisions of Title 19 to be frivolous, this bill allows for the court to impose reasonable penalties on the parties who bring the suit, within the discretion of the court.
This bill also authorizes the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) to petition the Superior Court to immediately suspend, temporarily or permanently, the campaign accounts of persons, including the candidate, treasurer, candidate committee or joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee, who violate State campaign finance laws.
