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-Lobbying regulation
Under state law and regulations adopted by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), any person who is compensated directly or indirectly, or reimbursed more than $100 in any three-month period, to influence legislation, regulations, or governmental processes by communicating with (for more than 20 hours in a calendar year), or providing a benefit to a state official, is required to register as a "governmental affairs agent." Registered agents must submit periodic reports with ELEC on their receipts, spending, clients and matters on which they have been retained. "Governmental affairs agents" are more commonly known as lobbyists, and those who are available for retention by others to represent their interests--typically companies, labor unions or other special interests--are sometimes referred to as "contract lobbyists" whose clients are designated under the statute as "Represented Entities." Lobbying also is conducted directly on their own behalf by a variety of associations, business and labor entities and individuals, who also must register as agents. In recent years, the groups spending the most have included the New Jersey Education Association, which represents public school teachers and other school employees, the New Jersey Hospital Association, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association; NJ Realtors; and the New Jersey State Bar Association. In 2022, the total spending reported by registered lobbyists was $95 million, falling well short of the $106.8 million record spent in 2020. Major issues included marijuana legalization, energy regulation, and reorganization of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, according to reports filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission. . LOBBYING GROUP EXPENDITURES RANKING FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2022
LOBBYING FIRM EXPENDITURES RANKING FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2022
In addition to lobbying with public officials, campaigns to influence the general public ("grassroots lobbying") to contact state executive officials or legislators on legislation or regulations are also subject to reporting requirements if they exceed $2,500. Gifts to public officials--once common in the form of honoraria for speeches, free tickets for entertainment, sports events, travel, dining and lodging for dinners, conventions and conferences--have dropped sharply as a result of restrictions now limiting spending to no more than $250 per year provided to officials and their immediate families. In most cases, even at the $250 level, lobbyists and officials have concluded that the potential adverse publicity relating to such gifts outweighs any benefit to either the donor or recipient. Despite regulations on campaign funding and spending, New Jersey elections and politics--like in other states and federal elections--increasingly has been impacted by "Dark Money" groups formed by special interests that hide their true identities, refuse to disclose how much they are spending, and conceal the sources funding their activities. This activity frequently takes the form of negative advertising targeting candidates. Under current law, most of these groups are required to disclose only their expenses to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission, and then only if they directly urge voters to support or defeat a candidate. Governor Murphy, for example, has received criticism for such a group formed by his wife which declines to disclose the identities of its contributors. * Lobbyist Annual Reports, NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission . * NJ lobbyists spent $95M to influence top politicians on special interests last year, 3/9/2023, NJ.com Government
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