2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 48 - Public Utilities › Section 48:3-93.3 - Contributions to campaign committees, candidates, office holders; restrictions; enforcement

48:3-93.3. Contributions to campaign committees, candidates, office holders; restrictions; enforcement
6. a. The provisions of any law, or rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, to the contrary notwithstanding, a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county shall not award a contract to a licensed electric power supplier, a licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider if the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider has solicited or made any contribution of money, or pledge of contribution, including in-kind contributions, to a campaign committee of any candidate or holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract, or to any State, county or municipal party committee or legislative leadership committee, in excess of the thresholds specified in subsection c. of this section within one calendar year immediately proceeding commencement of negotiations for the contract.
b. No licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider which enters into negotiations for, or agrees to, any contract with a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county shall knowingly solicit or make any contribution of money, or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to any candidate or holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract, or to any State, county or municipal party committee or legislative leadership committee, between the commencement of negotiations for and the later of the termination of negotiations or the completion of the contract.
c. Any individual included within the definition of a licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider pursuant to subsection o. of this section may annually contribute a maximum of $250 for any purpose to any candidate for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature, or $500 to any State, county or municipal party committee or legislative leadership committee, without violating subsection a. of this section. However, any group of individuals meeting the definition of a licensed electric power supplier, a licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider pursuant to subsection o. of this section, in the aggregate shall not annually contribute for any purpose in excess of $5,000 to all candidates for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature and officeholders with ultimate responsibility for the awarding of the contract, and all State, county and municipal political parties and legislative leadership committees combined, without violating subsection a. of this section.
d. For purposes of this section, the office that is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract shall be any elected official of the governing body of the municipality or county serving as the government aggregator.
e. No contribution of money or other thing of value, including in-kind contributions, made by a licensed electric power supplier, a licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider to any candidate for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature or State, county or municipal party committee or legislative leadership committee shall be deemed a violation of section a. of this section nor shall an agreement for property, goods or services, of any kind whatsoever, be disqualified thereby, if that contribution was made by the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider prior to the effective date of P.L.2003, c.24 (C.48:3-93.1 et al.).
f. (1) Prior to awarding any contract to a licensed electric power supplier, a licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider, a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county shall receive a sworn statement from the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider made under penalty of perjury that the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider has not made a contribution in violation of subsection a. of this section.
(2) A licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, and appliance repair service provider shall have a continuing duty to report any violations of this section that may occur during the negotiation of duration of the contract.
g. Candidates for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature, and State and county party committees and legislative leadership committees shall use reasonable efforts to notify contributors and potential contributors that contributions, including in-kind contributions, from a licensed electric power supplier, a licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider and certain individuals associated with a licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider may affect the ability of the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider to contract or continue to contract with a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county. Such reasonable efforts shall include, but need not be limited to, notification in written fundraising solicitations or donor information request forms or other fundraising solicitation materials. The failure of a licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider to receive the notice prescribed in this subsection shall not be a defense to a violation of subsection a. of this section.
h. A licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, appliance repair service provider, candidate for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature, an officeholder or a State, county or municipal party committee or legislative leadership committee may cure a violation of subsection a. of this section if, within 30 days after the election for which a contribution is made the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider seeks and receives reimbursement of a contribution from the candidate for the office of Governor or for the office of member of the Legislature or State, county or municipal political party or legislative leadership committee.
i. It shall be a breach of the terms of a contract for a licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider to violate subsection a. of this section or to knowingly conceal or misrepresent contributions given or received, or to make or solicit contributions through intermediaries for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the source of the contribution, and any such licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider shall be subject to penalties prescribed in subsection k. of this section and any other penalties prescribed by law.
j. No person shall make and no person, other than a candidate or an official representative of the candidate committee or joint candidates committee of the candidate, shall accept any contribution on the condition or with the agreement that it will be contributed to any other particular candidate, subject to penalties prescribed in subsection k. of this section and any other penalties prescribed by law. The expenditure of funds received by a person shall be made at the sole discretion of the recipient person.
k. Any licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider who knowingly fails to reveal a contribution made in violation of subsection a. of this section, or who knowingly makes or solicits contributions through intermediaries for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the source of the contribution, shall be disqualified from eligibility for future energy aggregation program contracts for a period of four calendar years from the date of the determination of violation, and shall have any contract with the State then in effect immediately terminated.
l. The governing body of a county or municipality shall have the option to promulgate and implement its own ordinances restricting campaign contributions by licensed electric power suppliers and licensed gas suppliers.
m. (1) Any licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider making a contribution to any candidate, committee, or political party shall file an annual disclosure statement with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission setting forth all political contributions made during the 12 months prior to the reporting deadline.
(2) The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall prescribe forms and procedures for the reporting required in paragraph (1) of this subsection which, at a minimum, shall require the following information:
(a) The names and addresses of the licensed electric power supplier, licensed gas supplier, or appliance repair service provider making the contributions, and the amount contributed;
(b) The name of the candidate committee or political party receiving the contribution; and
(c) The amount of money received from a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county.
n. The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall maintain a list of such reports for public inspection both at the commission's office and through the commission's electronic disclosure Web site.
o. (1) For purposes of this section, "electric power supplier" and "gas supplier" shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-51), and shall include all principals who own 10 percent or more of the equity in an entity that is an electric power supplier or a gas supplier, partners, and all officers in the aggregate employed by the entity, as well as any subsidiaries directly controlled by the entity. "Appliance repair service provider" means any person or entity engaged in the maintenance, repair or replacement of appliances and providing such services as part of a government energy aggregation program pursuant to P.L.1999, c.23, and shall include all principals who own 10 percent or more of the equity in an entity which is an appliance repair service provider, partners, and all officers in the aggregate employed by the entity, as well as any subsidiaries directly controlled by the entity. "Contract" shall mean a contract between a government aggregator that is a municipality or a county for a government energy aggregation program entered into pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L.2003, c.24 (C.48:3-93.2) or the provisions of P.L.1999, c.23.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "contribution," "in-kind contribution," "other thing of value," "candidate," "candidate committee," "joint candidates committee," "legislative leadership committee," "State, county or municipal political party" and "State, county or municipal party committee" shall have the meanings set forth in the "New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act," P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.).
L.2003,c.24,s.6.