New Legislation Impacting County Political Party Committees

NJ.com has an online article titled N.J. law to bring greater transparency to county political parties. It notes new legislation which mandates that county political party committees in New Jersey "adopt constitutions and bylaws, provide certain information on committee members and eliminate fixed terms for committee members and chairs." The alleged purpose is transparency. Transparency has become a byword of late signifying governmental intervention into the affairs of public or private organizations. Committee leaders will be obligated to submit reports to the government about changes in membership. The state government will then be able to continuously monitor political party committees.

The legislation also impacts municipalities. Municipal clerks will be forced to draw up lists of committee members and file them with county clerks. This must take place within 20 days of the first meeting of a committee after a primary election. People may access these lists upon request. Who needs to know this and why is not indicated.