New Jersey § 24:6i-27

§ 24:6i-27.

a. The “New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law,” P.L.1971, c. 182 ( C.52:13D-12 et seq. ) shall apply to members of the commission and to all employees of the commission,

except as herein specifically provided. b. (1) The commission shall promulgate and maintain a Code of Ethics that is modeled

upon the Code of Judicial Conduct of the American Bar Association, as amended and

adopted by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. (2) The Code of Ethics promulgated and maintained by the commission shall not be in

conflict with the laws of this State, except, however, that the Code of Ethics may

be more restrictive than any law of this State. c. The Code of Ethics promulgated and maintained by the commission, and any amendments

or restatements thereof, shall be submitted to the State Ethics Commission for approval. The Code of Ethics shall include, but not be limited to, provisions that: (1) No commission member or employee shall be permitted to enter and engage in any

activities, nor have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any medical cannabis

cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer, medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical

registrant issued a permit by the commission in accordance with P.L.2009, c. 307 ( C.24:6I-1 et al.) or any entity that employs any certified medical cannabis handler to perform

transfers or deliveries of medical cannabis, or any cannabis cultivator, cannabis manufacturer, cannabis wholesaler, cannabis distributor,

cannabis retailer, or cannabis delivery service issued a license by the commission

in accordance with P.L.2021, c. 16 ( C.24:6I-31 et al.) or any entity that employs or uses a certified personal use cannabis handler

to perform work for or on behalf of a licensed cannabis establishment, distributor,

or delivery service, except in the course of the member's or employee's duties; provided that nothing

in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a member or employee who is a registered

qualifying patient, or who is serving as a designated caregiver or institutional caregiver

for a registered qualifying patient, from being dispensed medical cannabis consistent

with the requirements of P.L.2009, c. 307 ( C.24:6I-1 et al.) ; and further provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit

a member or employee from being sold cannabis items by a cannabis retailer as a consumer

as authorized by P.L.2021, c. 16 ( C.24:6I-31 et al.) . (2) No commission member or employee shall solicit or accept employment from any holder

of, or applicant for, a medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer,

medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant permit or any entity that employs

any certified medical cannabis handler to perform transfers or deliveries of medical

cannabis , or a cannabis cultivator, cannabis manufacturer, cannabis wholesaler, cannabis distributor,

cannabis retailer, or cannabis delivery service license or any entity that employs

or uses a certified personal use cannabis handler to perform work for or on behalf

of a licensed cannabis establishment, distributor, or delivery service, for a period of two years after termination of service with the commission, except

as otherwise provided in section 35 of P.L.2019, c. 153 ( C.24:6I-28 ). (3) No commission member or employee shall act in the member's or employee's official

capacity in any matter wherein the member, employee, or the member's or employee's

spouse, domestic partner, or partner in a civil union couple, or child, parent, or

sibling has a direct or indirect personal financial interest that might reasonably

be expected to impair the member's or employee's objectivity or independence of judgment. (4) No commission member or employee shall act in the member's or employee's official

capacity in a matter concerning any holder of, or applicant for, a medical cannabis

cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer, medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical

registrant permit or any entity that employs any certified medical cannabis handler

to perform transfers or deliveries of medical cannabis , or a cannabis cultivator, cannabis manufacturer, cannabis wholesaler, cannabis distributor,

cannabis retailer, or cannabis delivery service license or any entity that employs

or uses a certified personal use cannabis handler to perform work for or on behalf

of a licensed cannabis establishment, distributor, or delivery service, who is the employer of a spouse, domestic partner, or partner in a civil union couple,

or child, parent, or sibling of the commission member or employee when the fact of

the employment of the spouse, domestic partner, or partner in a civil union couple,

or child, parent, or sibling might reasonably be expected to impair the objectivity

and independence of judgment of the commission member or employee. (5) No spouse, domestic partner, or partner in a civil union couple, or child, parent,

or sibling of a commission member shall be employed in any capacity by any holder

of, or applicant for, a medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer,

medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant permit or any entity that employs any certified medical cannabis handler to perform transfers

or deliveries of medical cannabis , or a cannabis cultivator, cannabis manufacturer, cannabis wholesaler, cannabis distributor,

cannabis retailer, or cannabis delivery service license or any entity that employs

or uses a certified personal use cannabis handler to perform work for or on behalf

of a licensed cannabis establishment, distributor, or delivery service, nor by any holding, intermediary, or subsidiary company thereof. (6) No commission member shall meet with any person, except for any other member of

the commission or employee of the commission, or discuss any issues involving any

pending or proposed application or any matter whatsoever which may reasonably be expected

to come before the commission, or any member thereof, for determination unless the

meeting or discussion takes place on the business premises of the commission, provided,

however, that commission members may meet to consider matters requiring the physical

inspection of equipment or premises at the location of the equipment or premises. All meetings or discussions subject to this paragraph shall be noted in a log maintained

for this purpose and available for inspection pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1963,

c. 73 ( C.47:1A-1 et seq. ). d. No commission member or employee shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in

any holder of, or applicant for, a medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer,

medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant permit or any entity that employs any certified medical cannabis handler to perform transfers

or deliveries of medical cannabis , or a cannabis cultivator, cannabis manufacturer, cannabis wholesaler, cannabis distributor,

cannabis retailer, or cannabis delivery service license or any entity that employs

or uses a certified personal use cannabis handler to perform work for or on behalf

of a licensed cannabis establishment, distributor, or delivery service, during the member's term of office or employee's term of employment. e. Each commission member and employee shall devote the member's or employee's entire

time and attention to the member's or employee's duties, as applicable, and shall

not pursue any other business or occupation or other gainful employment; provided,

however, that secretarial and clerical personnel may engage in such other gainful

employment as shall not interfere with their duties to the commission, unless otherwise

directed; and provided further, however, that other employees of the commission may

engage in such other gainful employment as shall not interfere or be in conflict with

their duties to the commission upon approval by the commission . f. (1) A member of the commission and the executive director or any other employee

of the commission holding a supervisory or policy-making management position shall

not make any contribution as that term is defined in “The New Jersey Campaign Contributions

and Expenditures Reporting Act,” P.L.1973, c. 83 ( C.19:44A-1 et seq. ). (2) A member or employee of the commission shall not: (a) use the member's or employee's official authority or influence for the purpose

of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office; (b) directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command, or advise any person

to pay, lend, or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization,

agency, or person for political purposes; or (c) take any active part in political campaigns or the management thereof; provided,

however, that nothing herein shall prohibit a member or employee from voting as the

member or employee chooses or from expressing personal opinions on political subjects

and candidates. g. For the purpose of applying the provisions of the “New Jersey Conflicts of Interest

Law,” any consultant or other person under contract for services to the commission

shall be deemed to be a special State employee, except that the restrictions of section

4 of P.L.1981, c. 142 ( C.52:13D-17.2 ) shall not apply to such person. Such person and any corporation, firm, or partnership in which the person has an

interest or by which the person is employed shall not represent any person or party

other than the commission.