Acting Governor Guadagno Cuts Red Tape at Bill Signing

On Aug 7, 2015

Acting Governor Kim Guadagno recently signed Assembly Bills Nos. 1883 (A-1883) and 3509 (A-3509), two bipartisan, unanimously passed bills that will reduce red tape for non-profits that fundraise certain games of chance and in the oversight of the State Museum.

“One of the best ways to help our state thrive is to reduce red tape that imposes confusion and unnecessary burdens on our residents, businesses, and non-profits,” said Acting Governor Guadagno.  “Since taking office, cutting that red tape has been one of my top priorities.  That’s why I signed legislation today to support non-profits and increase efficiency within the Department of State.”

When conducting raffles, non-profits are required to obtain a license from both the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission and a municipality when the value of a raffle for donated merchandise as a door prize reaches $50.  Among other measures, A-1883 (Burzichelli, Rumana, Caputo, Benson/Stack, Oroho) increases the value threshold from $50 to $200 and allows the Control Commission to increase this figure by regulation.  The concept for this legislation was raised at a Red Tape Review Commission (RTRC) public hearing and was included as a recommendation in an RTRC report.

The bipartisan RTRC, created and made permanent by Executive Order, solicits and reviews public comments on existing statutes and regulations to improve New Jersey’s regulatory process, promote job creation and retention, and eliminate burdensome red tape by periodically submitting written reports to the Governor.  Chaired by Acting Governor Guadagno, the RTRC’s membership includes Senator Steven Oroho, Senator Jeff Van Drew, Assemblyman John Burzichelli, Assemblyman Scott Rumana, Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine, John Galandak, Tony Monteiro, and Kimberly Gillespie.

“We are grateful to the Acting Governor, sponsors, and the Legislature for enacting this bill to enable charitable organizations to generate desperately needed resources to support their missions, and we welcome the chance to continue to work with the RTRC to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic burdens for the non-profits that are essential to the economic and social well-being of our state,” said Linda M. Czipo, executive director of the Center for Non-Profits, a statewide charitable umbrella organization serving New Jersey’s non-profit community.

The Acting Governor, who serves concurrently as Secretary of State, also took action today to reduce red tape in the Department of State. While under the control and management of a Board of Trustees, the Museum has effectively functioned as a division of the Department of State.  The Acting Governor signed A-3509 (Benson, Simon/Turner, Oroho) to dissolve the Board of Trustees and make the Museum an official Department division to eliminate redundancy, streamline the reporting process, and promote greater administrative efficiency.

Three of A-3509’s primary sponsors were members of the State Museum’s Board of Trustees, which unanimously resolved to encourage its dissolution and support this legislation.

In total, the Acting Governor took action on the following bills:

BILL SIGNINGS:

A-1883/S-1941 (Burzichelli, Rumana, Caputo, Benson/Stack, Oroho) – Revises exemption from license requirement for raffles for door prizes of donated or purchased merchandise; increases total retail value from $50 to $200 or higher if permitted 

A-3509/S-2279 (Benson, Simon/Turner, Oroho) – Establishes Division of State Museum in Department of State; continues New Jersey State Museum within division; abolishes museum board of trustees

 AJR-119/SJR-76 (Spencer, Pintor Marin/Ruiz) – Designates third week of October of each year as “Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week”

BILL VETOED:

S-2032/A-3440 (Codey, Turner/Diegnan, Eustace) – CONDITIONAL – Requires State Board of Education to develop rigorous computer science curriculum guidelines and school districts to incorporate those guidelines in grades six through 12

 

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