TRENTON -- Legislation that would require special interest groups to publicly disclose information about their contributors and expenditures will be considered this week by a state Assembly panel. Proponents say the measure would create more transparency surrounding "secretive groups" that involve themselves in state campaigns and policy discussions but refuse to detail their funding sources. The bill (A-2595) would apply...
TRENTON -- Legislation that would require special interest groups to publicly disclose information about their contributors and expenditures will be considered this week by a state Assembly panel.
Proponents say the measure would create more transparency surrounding "secretive groups" that involve themselves in state campaigns and policy discussions but refuse to detail their funding sources.
The bill (A-2595) would apply to groups — organized under certain sections of the Internal Revenue Service code — that engage in influencing elections or providing political information and also raise or spend at least $2,100.
These groups would have to report their contributor and expenditure information to the state's Election Law Enforcement Commission if the bill becomes law.
They also would have to identify themselves in communications they pay for that provide political information or tries to influence elections. And political candidates could not establish, authorize, maintain or participate in the management or control of issue advocacy organizations.
"The public has had enough with stealth special interest groups trying to influence elections and policy while hiding their funding sources," said Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, (D-Hamilton), who chairs the chamber's Judiciary Committee. That panel is scheduled to discuss the measure on Monday in the Statehouse.
Greenstein is one of the bill's five primary sponsors, along with fellow Democrats Wayne DeAngelo of Hamilton, Annette Quijano of Union, Ralph Caputo of Belleville and Paul Moriarty of Turnersville.
"Public disclosure is always the best option, even if these covert organizations would prefer to keep their backers and expenses secret," Quijano said. "These groups often brag about their ability to accept unlimited donations and avoid our ethics laws, but the public expects better."
Caputo voiced similar views.
"Everyone who has said they want to strengthen New Jersey's campaign finance laws should get behind this bill," he said.