Bill > A172

This bill mandates that all elected or appointed local government officers in New Jersey must complete ethics training, focusing on the requirements of the "Local Government Ethics Law" and any applicable local codes of ethics. New officers must finish this training within their first six months in office, or within six months of the official rules for this training being established. Once completed, officers generally won't need to repeat the training for other local government positions, though updates may be required. The Division of Local Government Services within the Department of Community Affairs will develop this training program, which can be delivered in various formats, including online, and will be offered regularly at accessible locations. Upon completion, officers will sign a statement confirming they have received the training and understand the ethics laws. The Commissioner of Community Affairs has 120 days to create the necessary rules and regulations, which will include a deadline of no more than 18 months for all current local government officers to complete the training, and will establish escalating fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for those who fail to comply, with these fines not being covered by their government bodies. The bill takes effect immediately, but the ethics training requirement will only become active once these rules and regulations are officially published.