PANTER/SCHAER MEASURE IMPROVING BUDGET TRANSPARENCY RECEIVES FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

Bill Would Require Lobbyists to Report Involvement on Annual, Supplemental Appropriations Acts

(TRENTON) - The General Assembly today passed legislation Assemblymen Mike Panter and Gary S. Schaer sponsored to improve the transparency of New Jersey's budget process.

"While everyone can and should have a say in how state government operates, the amount of influence that the special interests wield when budget time rolls around is absolutely staggering," said Panter (D-Monmouth).  "This budget process safeguard is aimed squarely at reducing the amount of behind-the-scenes manipulation that goes on and hopefully diminish its impact."

The Panter/Schaer legislation (A-4013) would require all governmental affairs agents to list their involvement with the annual appropriations act or supplemental appropriations legislation on the quarterly reports they file with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

"Lobbyists have greater access to governmental processes than the average person does, so it's only fair that they be held to a higher standard of disclosure than the average person," said Schaer (D-Passaic), the vice-chair of the Assembly State Government Committee.  "With a state budget in excess of $30 billion, there is always room for more ethical safeguards that will prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars."

The measure is part of an eight-point plan to improve transparency in government.  The bill was passed by a vote of 77 to 0.  It now heads to the Governor who may sign it, veto it, or modify it in the form of a conditional veto.

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