"Political Donation Transparency Act;" prohibits automatic enrollment in recurring political contributions and establishes penalties for violators.

A1286

ASSEMBLY, No. 1286

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman MICHAEL INGANAMORT

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Fantasia

SYNOPSIS

���� "Political Donation Transparency Act;"
prohibits automatic enrollment in recurring political contributions and
establishes penalties for violators.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act
concerning recurring political contributions,
designated as the �Political Donation Transparency Act,� 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.��� This act shall be known
and may be cited as the �Political Donation Transparency Act.�

���� 2.��� a.� No candidate,
political committee, continuing political committee, candidate committee, joint
candidates committee, legislative leadership committee, independent expenditure
committee, or political party committee, or any person or entity acting on
behalf of such candidate or committee, shall employ the use of automatic or
recurring contributions when soliciting contributions within the meaning of
P.L.1973, c.83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.), unless the following standards are met:

���� (1)� a contribution shall not
be made automatic or recurring by default;

���� (2)� a contribution shall only
be made automatic or recurring upon the affirmative consent of the person
making the contribution; and

���� (3)� a clear and conspicuous
description of the nature, frequency, and amount of the automatic or recurring
contribution shall be provided alongside the option to make a contribution
automatic or recurring.

���� b.��� The Election Law
Enforcement Commission may promulgate, pursuant to the "Administrative
Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), such rules as may be
necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

���� c.��� Any person found to have
violated the provisions of this section or the rules promulgated pursuant to
this section shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill is designated as the
�Political Donation Transparency Act.�

���� This bill prohibits any candidate,
political committee, continuing political committee, candidate committee, joint
candidates committee, legislative leadership committee, independent expenditure
committee, or political party committee, or any person or entity acting on
behalf of such candidate or committee, from using automatic or recurring
political contributions in solicitations for political contributions, unless
certain standards are met.� These standards will include that:

���� (1)� a contribution must not
be made automatic or recurring by default;

���� (2)� a contribution must only
be made automatic or recurring upon the affirmative consent of the person
making the contribution; and

���� (3)� a clear and conspicuous
description of the nature, frequency, and amount of the automatic or recurring
contribution must be provided alongside the option to make a contribution
automatic or recurring.

���� The bill also empowers the
Election Law Enforcement Commission to establish such rules as may be necessary
to enforce its provisions, and makes it a crime of the fourth degree to violate
any of the provisions of the bill or associated rules.� A crime of the fourth
degree is punishable by imprisonment for up to 18 months, a fine of up to
$10,000, or both.