New Jersey S 1616: Creates striped bass license plates.

Bill Text

S1616 

SENATE, No. 1616 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.

District 9 (Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs ELEC to raise value threshold of pay-to-play 
prohibition for certain State, county, municipal, school board, and fire 
district contracts to align with threshold for awarding certain public 
contracts utilizing qualified purchasing agent.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning political contributions made by certain 
business entities, amending various parts of the statutory law, and 
supplementing P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.).

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� (New section)� a.� Not 
later than December 1, 2025 and every year thereafter, the Election Law 
Enforcement Commission shall adjust the applicable values for transactions 
engaged in and contracts entered into by a business entity and a State agency, 
county, municipality, independent authority, board of education, or fire 
district under section 2 of P.L.2004, c.19 (C.19:44A-20.3), section 3 of 
P.L.2004, c.19 (C.19:44A-20.4), section 4 of P.L.2004, c.19 (C.19:44A-20.5), section 
2 of P.L.2005, c.51 (C.19:44A-20.14), section 3 of P.L.2005, c.51 
(C.19:44A-20.15), or section 2 of P.L.2005, c.271 (C.19:44A-20.26).� To the 
maximum extent possible, the adjustment shall be equal to the public bidding 
threshold established for counties and municipalities pursuant to subsection c. 
of section 3 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-3) or for school districts pursuant 
to subsection b. of N.J.S.18A:18A-3, or both, if the applicable thresholds are 
the same.� Not later than December 15, 2025 and every year thereafter, the 
commission shall report to the Legislature and make public its adjustment to 
the applicable transaction and contract values in accordance with the 
provisions of this section.� 

���� b.��� The adjusted transaction 
and contract values shall be applicable to the State and any of its purchasing 
agents or agencies or those of its independent authorities, and to any county 
or municipality, or agency or instrumentality thereof, or board of education, 
or fire district, which has designated a purchasing agent pursuant to 
subsection a. of section 9 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-9).� Any county or 
municipality, or agency or instrumentality thereof, or board of education, or 
fire district without a qualified purchasing agent shall be subject to the 
applicable transaction or contract value provided by law, without adjustment 
pursuant to this section.� 

���� 2.��� Section 2 of P.L.2004, 
c.19 (C.19:44A-20.3) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� Notwithstanding the 
provisions of any other law to the contrary:

���� a State agency in the 
Legislative Branch shall not enter into a contract having an anticipated value 
in excess of $17,500 or an amount deemed applicable pursuant to section 1 of 
P.L.��� , 
c. (C. ), as 
determined in advance and certified in writing by the State agency, with a 
business entity, that requires approval by a presiding officer of either or 
both houses of the Legislature, except a contract that is awarded pursuant to a 
fair and open process, if, during the preceding one-year period, that business 
entity has made a contribution, reportable by the recipient under P.L.1973, 
c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.), to any candidate committee established by that 
presiding officer; and

���� a business entity that has 
entered into a contract having an anticipated value in excess of $17,500 or 
an amount deemed applicable pursuant to section 1 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� 
) with a State agency in the Legislative Branch, that requires approval by 
a presiding officer of either or both houses of the Legislature, except a 
contract that is awarded pursuant to a fair and open process, shall not make a 
contribution, reportable by the recipient under P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et 
seq.), to any candidate committee established by that presiding officer, during 
the term of that contract.

���� No such committee shall accept 
such a contribution from a business entity during the term of its contract with 
a State agency in the Legislative Branch.

(cf: P.L.2023, c.30, s.10)

���� 3.��� Section 3 of P.L.2004, 
c.19 (C.19:44A-20.4) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� Notwithstanding the 
provisions of any other law to the contrary:

���� a county, or any agency or 
instrumentality thereof, shall not enter into a contract having an anticipated 
value in excess of $17,500 or an amount deemed applicable pursuant to 
section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ), 
as determined in advance and certified in writing by the county, agency or 
instrumentality, with a business entity, except a contract that is awarded 
pursuant to a fair and open process, if, during the preceding one-year period, 
that busin