New Jersey § 19:44a-22

§ 19:44a-22.

a. Whenever a candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee,

continuing political committee, independent expenditure committee, political party

committee or legislative leadership committee, or any group other than such a committee,

or any person makes, incurs or authorizes an expenditure for the purpose of financing

a communication aiding or promoting the nomination, election or defeat of any candidate

or providing political information on any candidate which is an expenditure that the

committee, group or person is required to report to the Election Law Enforcement Commission

pursuant to P.L.1973, c. 83 ( C.19:44A-1 et seq. ), the communication shall clearly state the name and business or residence address

of the committee, group or person, as that information appears on reports filed with

the commission, and that the communication has been financed by that committee, group

or person. b. Whenever a candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee,

continuing political committee, independent expenditure committee, political party

committee or legislative leadership committee, or any group other than such a committee,

or any person makes, incurs or authorizes an expenditure for the purpose of financing

a communication aiding the passage or defeat of any public question or providing political

information on any public question, or as an independent expenditure in the case of an independent expenditure committee, which is an expenditure that

the committee, group or person is required to report to the Election Law Enforcement

Commission pursuant to P.L.1973, c. 83 ( C.19:44A-1 et seq. ), the communication shall clearly state the name and business or residence address

of the committee, group or person, as that information appears on reports filed with

the commission, and that the communication has been financed by that committee, group

or person. c. A communication that is financed by an independent expenditure committee or by

any person, not acting in concert with a candidate or any person or committee acting

on behalf of a candidate, shall contain a clear and conspicuous statement that the

expenditure was not made with the cooperation or prior consent of, or in consultation

with or at the request or suggestion of, any such candidate, person or committee. d. Any person who accepts compensation from a committee, group or individual described

in subsection a. or b. of this section for the purpose of printing, broadcasting,

or otherwise disseminating to the electorate a communication shall require the committee,

group, or individual to file a copy of the statement of registration required to be

filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1993, c. 65 ( C.19:44A-8.1 ) and shall maintain a record of the transaction which shall include an exact copy

of the communication and a statement of the number of copies made or the dates and

times that the communication was broadcast or otherwise transmitted, and the name

and address of the committee, group or individual paying for the communication. The record shall be maintained on file at the principal office of the person accepting

the communication for at least two years and shall be available for public inspection

during normal business hours. e. As used in this section, “ communication ” means a press release, pamphlet, flyer, form letter, sign, billboard, paid advertisement

printed in any newspaper or other publication or broadcast on radio or television,

or telephone call featuring a recorded message, or any other form of advertising,

including Internet and digital advertising, directed to the electorate. f. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to apply to any bona fide

news item or editorial contained in any publication of bona fide general circulation. g. (1) A person who violates a provision of this section shall be subject to the civil

penalties provided in section 22 of P.L.1973, c. 83 ( C.19:44A-22 ). (2) A person who, with intent to injure anyone or to conceal wrongdoing, purposely

falsifies, conceals or misrepresents information required by this section to be disclosed

or maintained on file is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. h. The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations

pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c. 410 ( C.52:14B-1 et seq. ) to effectuate the purpose of this section. The commission may, by regulation, exempt from the provisions of this section small,

tangible items of de minimis value which are commonly used in campaigns to convey

a political message, including, but not limited to, buttons, combs, and nail files. The commission may also, by regulation, exempt from the provisions of this section

advertising space purchased by a candidate committee, joint candidates committee,

political committee, continuing political committee, political party committee, legislative

leadership committee or other person, in a political program book distributed at a

fund-raising event if the financial transaction is otherwise subject to disclosure. An exemption granted by the commission with respect to any item shall not relieve

the committee, group or individual making an expenditure therefor from any applicable

campaign finance reporting requirements. In addition, the commission shall have the authority to provide, by regulation, that

a communication need not include the address of the committee, group or person financing

the communication in circumstances where the name of a committee, group or person

would be sufficient to identify it from the commission's records.