New Jersey Dark Money Bill Signed, Challenged - State and Federal Communications

June 27, 2019  •  

New Jersey Dark Money Bill Signed, Challenged

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy

Last week, New jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation requiring dark money groups spending money to influence elections in New Jersey to disclose their large donors.

Senate Bill 1500, carried over from last year’s session, requires certain groups, like 501(c)(4) political nonprofits to disclose the identities of donors who give more than $10,000.

Additionally, the groups are required to report expenditures in excess of $3,000.

Gov. Murphy previously conditionally vetoed the bill.

However, the Governor signed an identical version when faced with a veto override because the bill’s sponsors agreed to tweak the legislation before it takes effect.

Since signed, the bill has faced opposition from citizen-based organizations and advocacy groups.

Those groups are arguing the new disclosure requirements will prevent people from donating to them.

On Tuesday, a federal lawsuit challenging the legislation was filed by Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian advocacy nonprofit founded by the Koch brothers.

Americans for Prosperity asked for the new law not to be enforced until the suit challenging the constitutionality of the law is decided.

New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission and Attorney General Lee Moore declined to comment on the pending legislation.

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