ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1527

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 15, 2021

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1527.

      As amended, this bill increases the compensation of election workers from $200 per day to $300 per day and appropriates $7,000,000 to the Department of State.

      Under current law, election workers are paid $200 per day each time the primary election, the general election, or any special election is held.  The State reimburses $125 of the payment to election workers while the counties account for the rest.  This bill increases the State’s reimbursement to $225 while keeping the counties sum at $75.

      As amended, the bill increases the maximum hourly rate for election workers serving at a school election held at a time other than the general election, from $14.29 to $19.64. The bill also permits a county to provide an election worker training program for district board members at the expense of the county.

      As amended, the bill appropriates from the State General Fund to the Department of State the sum of $7,000,000 to reimburse the counties for the costs of implementing the bill’s provisions.

      The amendments make this bill identical to Senate Bill No. 598(4R).

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  increase from $14.29 to $19.64 the maximum hourly rate that district board members may receive for serving at a school election;

      (2)  permit a county to provide election worker training program for district board members at the expense of the county;

      (3)  clarify that the Secretary of State handles election reimbursement matters rather than the Attorney General; and

      (4)  appropriate from the State General Fund to the Department of State the sum of $7,000,000 to reimburse the counties for the costs of implementing the bill’s provisions.