New Jersey § 40a:9-22

§ 40a:9-22.

The municipal ethics board, upon receipt of a signed written complaint by any person

alleging that the conduct of any local government officer or employee serving the

municipality is in conflict with the municipal code of ethics or financial disclosure

requirements, shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 30 days of receipt

and initiate an investigation concerning the facts and circumstances set forth in

the complaint. The ethics board shall make a determination as to whether the complaint is within

its jurisdiction or frivolous or without any reasonable factual basis. If the ethics board shall conclude that the complaint is outside its jurisdiction,

frivolous or without factual basis, it shall reduce that conclusion to writing and

shall transmit a copy thereof to the complainant and to the local government officer

or employee against whom the complaint was filed. Otherwise the ethics board shall notify the local government officer or employee

against whom the complaint was filed of the nature of the complaint and the facts

and circumstances set forth therein. The officer or employee shall have the opportunity to present the ethics board with

any statement or information concerning the complaint which he wishes. Thereafter, if the ethics board determines that a reasonable doubt exists as to

whether the local government officer or employee is in conflict with the municipal

code of ethics or any financial disclosure requirements, it shall conduct a hearing

in the manner prescribed by section 12 of this act, 1 concerning the possible violation and any other facts and circumstances which may

have come to its attention with respect to the conduct of the local government officer

or employee. The ethics board shall render a decision as to whether the conduct of the officer

or employee is in conflict with the municipal code of ethics or any financial disclosure

requirements. This decision shall be made by no less than two-thirds of all members of the ethics

board. If the ethics board determines that the officer or employee is in conflict with the

code or any financial disclosure requirements, it may impose any penalties which it

believes appropriate within the limitations of this act. A final decision of the ethics board may be appealed to the Local Finance Board

within 30 days of the decision. 1

N.J.S.A. § 40A:9-22.12.