TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner, co-sponsor of the bill to authorize local governments to enact strong ordinances banning pay-to-play practices in their communities, said it will clean up the corrupting influence of money in political campaigns throughout New Jersey.
The bill, S-1987, passed in the Senate by a 34-0 vote and now goes to the Governor.
“This bill will empower local governments to activate their desired bans on the pervasive influence of campaign contributions in securing public contracts,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer.
“It is clear with passage of this bill that we are serious about campaign finance reform at every level of government,” Senator Turner said. “When this bill is signed into law, we will have backed up our words with action in the effort to eliminate campaign contributions as quid pro quos for getting government contracts.”
In a statewide campaign finance reform law enacted last year, a loophole barred local governments from implementing pay-to-play bans any stricter than the ban imposed at the State level.
“This bill will eliminate the loophole and enable local governments to restrict the influence of big-money donations in campaigns to the highest levels possible,” she said.