NJBIA this week urged New Jersey employers to vote in next week’s elections. Employers should focus on State Senate and Assembly candidates who will work to lower the cost of operating a business in New Jersey and create a better business climate. On Tuesday, November 6, New Jersey voters will elect all 120 members of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly.

NJBIA President Philip Kirschner said employers should pay close attention to candidates’ stands on key issues such as paid family leave, improving the business climate, and reducing the cost of doing business. Kirschner, who also is a trustee of the business community’s political action committee, NEW JOBS, said the PAC has provided information to help employers make informed choices about the candidates. NEW JOBS is the largest and most influential political action committee for the State business community. It has endorsed 30 Senate candidates and 62 Assembly candidates of both major parties.

NEW JOBS PAC is an independent, nonpartisan organization whose trustees promote a better business climate by endorsing and supporting probusiness candidates for the State Legislature. The NEW JOBS trustees carefully reviewed the candidates' records, endorsing candidates who have demonstrated a good understanding of the issues facing the business community and a commitment to lowering the cost of doing business in New Jersey. The endorsed candidates are:

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland)
Jeff Van Drew (D) for Senate
Mike Donohue (R) and Matt Milam (D) for Assembly

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem)
John Burzichelli (D) and Doug Fisher (D) for Assembly

District 4 (Camden, Gloucester)
Fred Madden (D) for Senate
Sandra Love (D) and Paul Moriarty (D) for Assembly

District 5 (Camden, Gloucester)
Dana Redd (D) for Senate,
Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D) and Joe Roberts (D) for Assembly

District 6 (Camden)
John Adler (D) for Senate
Louis Greenwald (D) and
Pamela Lampitt (D) for Assembly
District 7 (Burlington, Camden)
Diane Allen (R) for Senate
Herb Conaway (D) Jack Conners (D) for Assembly

District 8 (Burlington)
Francis Bodine (D) for Senate
Dawn Addiego (R) and Scott Rudder (R) for Assembly

District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean)
Chris Connors (R) for Senate
Brian Rumpf (R) and Dan Van Pelt (R) for Assembly

District 10 (Monmouth, Ocean)
Andy Ciesla (R) for Senate
David Wolfe (R ) and Jim Holzapfel (R) for Assembly

District 11 (Monmouth)
Sean Kean (R) for Senate
Mary Pat Angelini (R) and David Rible (R) for Assembly
District 12 (Mercer, Monmouth)
Jennifer Beck (R) for Senate
Declan O’Scanlon (R) and Mike Panter (D) for Assembly

District 13 (Middlesex, Monmouth)
Joe Kyrillos (R) for Senate
Amy Handlin (R) and Sam Thompson (R) for Assembly

District 14 (Mercer, Middlesex)
Bill Baroni (R) for Senate

District 15 (Mercer)
Shirley Turner (D) for Senate
Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) and Reed Gusciora (D) for Assembly

District 16 (Morris, Somerset)
Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R) for Senate
Pete Biondi (R) and Denise Coyle (R) for Assembly

District 17 (Middlesex, Somerset)
Bob Smith (D) for Senate
Upendra Chivukula (D) for Assembly

District 18 (Middlesex)
Patrick Diegnan, Jr. (D) for Assembly

District 19 (Middlesex)
John Wisniewski ( D) for Assembly

District 20 (Union)
Ray Lesniak (D) for Senate
Neil Cohen (D) and Joseph Cryan (D) for Assembly

District 21 (Essex, Morris, Somerset, Union)
Tom Kean (R) for Senate
Jon Bramnick (R) and Eric Munoz (R) for Assembly

District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset, Union)
Nick Scutari (D) for Senate

District 23 (Hunterdon, Warren)
Leonard Lance (R) for Senate
Mike Doherty (R) and Marcia Karrow (R) for Assembly

District 24 (Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex)
Steve Oroho (R) for Senate
Gary Chiusano (R) and Alison Littell McHose (R) for Assembly

District 25 (Morris)
Tony Bucco (R) for Senate
Michael Carroll (R) and Richard Merkt (R) for Assembly

District 26 (Morris, Passaic)
Joe Pennacchio (R) for Senate
Alex DeCroce (R) and Jay Webber (R) for Assembly

District 27 (Essex)
Richard Codey (D) for Senate
John McKeon (D) for Assembly

District 28 (Essex)
Ron Rice (D) for Senate

District 29 (Essex, Union)
Albert Coutinho (D) for Assembly

District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean)
Bob Singer (R) for Senate
Ronald Dancer (R) and Joseph Malone (R) for Assembly

District 32 (Bergen, Hudson)
Vincent Prieto (D) and Joan Quigley (D) for Assembly
District 33 (Hudson)
Ruben Ramos (D) and Caridad Rodrigues (D) for Assembly

District 34 (Essex, Passaic)
Nia Gill (D) for Senate
Tom Giblin (D) and Shelia Oliver (D) for Assembly

District 35 (Bergen, Passaic)
Nellie Pou (D) for Assembly

District 36 (Bergen, Essex, Passaic)
Paul Sarlo (D) for Senate
Fred Scalera (D) and Gary Schaer (D) for Assembly

District 37 (Bergen)
Loretta Weinberg (D) for Senate
Gordon Johnson (D) and Valerie Huttle (D) for Assembly

District 39 (Bergen)
Gerry Cardinale (R) for Senate
John Rooney (R) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R) for Assembly

District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Passaic)
Kevin O’Toole(R) for Senate
Scott Rumana (R) and David Russo (R) for Assembly

Instead of Exempting Nonprofit Organizations, ELEC Votes to Extend Their Pay-to-Play Reporting Deadline

Ignoring a State Attorney General’s opinion that non-profit organizations could be exempted from the State's onerous pay-to-play law if the State Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) so desired, ELEC voted October 23 to leave the regulations unchanged.

ELEC did vote to extend the reporting deadline for nonprofits, giving them until November 30 to track down campaign contributions by members of their board and report them to the State. The ruling impacts thousands of nonprofit organizations, including hospitals, community groups and service providers.

The new rules require any company that received $50,000 or more in government contracts in 2006 to report all campaign contributions made by board members, top executives, and their spouses. The original deadline was September 28, but this was initially extended until the end of October for nonprofits so ELEC could consider whether or not they should be included in the rules. The Attorney General’s office said the law that authorized the new rules could be interpreted as exempting nonprofit organizations. NJBIA has criticized the rules in general as being too broad and onerous on business and nonprofits. The Association has joined with other groups in arguing that nonprofits should be exempt, as the rules will discourage people from volunteering for charitable organizations. For more information, contact John Rogers at ext. 209.

Protecting Your Business from Workplace Discrimination Liability, Nov. 16

Learn strategies that can help your workplace avoid needless litigation and liability at NJBIA's "Protecting Your Business from Workplace Discrimination Liability" seminar on Friday, November 16. Hear from top human resource lawyers about their experience utilizing the most effective policies to protect your business, and your employees, from discriminatory behavior. The seminar will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Eatontown in Eatontown. The cost is $109 per person for NJBIA members and $139 for nonmembers. For more information, or to become a sponsor, contact Dave Gursky at 609-393-7707, ext. 213. You can also register online now.