NJ Rules on Receptions at Party Conventions

Our final installment looking at restrictions applicable to lobbyists paying for events at the national party conventions discusses New Jersey.  Previously, we’ve covered federally registered lobbyists and officials and New York lobbyists and officials. New Jersey law allows registered lobbyists and lobbyist clients to give gifts of up to $250 per calendar year to New Jersey legislators and state officials.  While New Jersey law contains an exception for reimbursement of expenses associated with attending an event related to an official’s official duties, the exception does not appear broad enough to cover party convention events since the public official’s attendance would not be related to official duties.  Thus, a lobbyist or lobbyist client could only pay for the reception if the per person cost remained under $250 (assuming no other gifts were made in the calendar year to those officials).