New Transparency Laws Will Impact New Jersey Elections
This November, all 120 state legislative seats will be on the ballot. Newly competitive districts and a substantial change in election laws make this legislative election cycle particularly significant. Before the NJ legislature took its summer hiatus, a new law was quickly passed without much debate but left many unanswered questions. Known as the NJ Elections Transparency Law, it is a contradiction of terms as it upends pay to play laws and doubles and, in some cases, triples campaign contributions. It is crucial for our industry to remain vigilant and participate in the process because other interests will leverage an advantage to these changes.
This recent enactment has brought significant modifications to campaign contribution law, including increasing contribution limits, relaxing oversight, replacing the current governing body, and loosening pay-to-play regulations. As a result, the new maximum contribution limits will create a greater demand for financial political support.
All pay-to-play laws related to municipal, county, independent authority, or other government entities have expired, and there is now a uniform standard of requirements. The type of contract an entity holds and whether the bidding process was a “fair and open process” determine the contributions it can make and the associated limits. We recommend reviewing the new law and company contracts with legal and compliance teams to make appropriate determinations.
With the Democratic party in control of both the state legislature and the governor’s office, there have been several costly and burdensome mandates proposed in the legislature. We continue the fight to successfully mitigate or stall harmful legislation such as packaging mandates, overturning the reusable bag law, labeling restrictions, menthol bans, coupon restrictions, and salary notification mandates. Additionally, we have advocated for positive legislation that benefits our members, such as Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) sales tax exemptions and SNAP funding increases. We continue to work with State departments and agencies on implementing new laws regarding recycled content, food waste, and plastics in a flexible and appropriate manner.
Given the challenging political environment, it is vital that our industry makes its voice heard on business issues to avoid negative impacts from an unfavorable legislative agenda. We must actively engage in the election process to ensure our collective needs are heard on policy matters that affect our industry’s future in this state. It is crucial to support elected officials and candidates who align with our interests to maintain a healthy and prosperous industry.
To remain relevant in this political environment, we firmly believe that an investment from all segments of the New Jersey food industry will yield significant benefits, enabling us to maintain a strong presence and advocate effectively in Trenton.