Clean Elections

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts has asked the Election Law Enforcement Commission for a Clean Elections calculation in the 8th legislative district as a split district.  State Senator Martha Bark and Assemblyman Larry Chatzidakis are Republicans, while Assemblyman Francis Bodine is now a Democrat.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission today released the amounts split district legislative candidates would receive if selected for the Clean Elections public financing program for 2007:

District  1: $373,050 per candidate, or $1,119,150 per ticket
District  2: $419,275 per candidate, or $1,257,825 per ticket
District  7: $282,275 per candidate, or $   846,825 per ticket
District 12:$445,435 per candidate, or $1,336,275 per ticket
District 14:$534,375 per candidate, or $1,603,125 per ticket

ROBERTS URGES ELEC TO ALLOW CLEAN CANDIDATES TO ACCEPT LOWER SPENDING THRESHOLDS

Speaker Says Program Should Protect Public Against Potential 'Sticker Shock'

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. today said the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) should allow candidates participating in the state's Clean Elections pilot program to voluntarily accept lesser amounts of public financing than were approved by the commission this morning.

CLEAN ELECTIONS REAUTHORIZATION SIGNED INTO LAW
Measure Expands, Strengthens Public Financing Project for 2007 Legislative Races

(TRENTON) - Bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the state's Clean Elections program for 2007 and enhance the ability of candidates to qualify for public financing was signed into law today by Governor Jon S. Corzine.

ROBERTS: FEDERAL CLEAN ELECTIONS BILL HIGHLIGHTS
NEED FOR NJ TO CONTINUE PUSH FOR PUBLIC FINANCING
Speaker Says Measure Awaiting Governor's Signature Would Keep New Jersey
In Forefront of Growing National Movement        

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. hailed the recent introduction of federal legislation that would enact a system of Clean Elections in Congressional election campaigns, saying the new bill highlights the need for New Jersey to continue being a leader in promoting publicly financed campaigns.

CLEAN ELECTIONS REAUTHORIZATION
CLEARS FINAL LEGISLATIVE HURDLE
Legislation to Expand Project for 2007, Institute Changes
To Enhance Chances for Program's Success Heads to Governor's Desk

(TRENTON) - Bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the state's Clean Elections program for 2007 and enhance the ability of candidates to qualify for public campaign financing was given final passage by the Legislature today.

TURNER CLEAN ELECTIONS MEASURE APPROVED IN THE SENATE

TRENTON - "The 2007 New Jersey Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project Act," sponsored in the Senate by Senator Shirley K. Turner, was approved today in the Senate, and is pending final legislative approval in the Assembly later today.

By Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr.

Concerned about government corruption and the rising costs of political campaigns, New Jersey tested the waters of public financing for legislative races through a Clean Elections pilot project in the 2005 Assembly elections.

Now the state is at the threshold of taking a second crack at employing public financing in legislative contests.  Legislation has advanced to reauthorize another Clean Elections trial run in this November’s general elections.  The measure is scheduled for a Senate vote on Monday and could be moved to the Governor’s desk for his signature as early as next Thursday.

ROBERTS-LED CLEAN ELECTIONS REAUTHORIZATION SCHEDULED FOR SENATE VOTE

Approval of Measure Would Put Bill in Position for Final Assembly Vote Thursday

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. today said the Clean Elections legislation scheduled for Senate consideration on Monday would move New Jersey a giant step closer to removing special-interest money from the political process.

TRENTON – Bills that would require school bus drivers to inspect their buses at the end of their routes for children left behind and authorize a comprehensive study of Megan’s Law will be before the State Senate when it meets on Monday.

“After reports this week that yet another child was left on a parked bus in Glassboro, it’s become painfully obvious that we need to mandate these bus checks and supply significant consequences for abandoning a child on a school bus,� said Senator Fred Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, sponsor of the bill to require bus checks at the end of every route.

The bill, S-328, would require a school bus driver to visually inspect the school bus at the end of each transportation route to make sure that no pupil remains on the bus and impose penalties if the driver leaves a pupil on the bus at the end of the route. The first offense would bring a six month suspension of school bus driving priveleges while a second offense would result in a permanent ban.