SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1235

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 2, 2023

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1235.

     As amended by the committee, this bill requires that the cost of mailing a voted mail-in ballot by a voter to cast a vote during any election be paid for by the county and reimbursed to the county by the State.

     Under current law, a voter who votes by mail using a mail-in ballot is required to affix the proper postage to the outer envelope containing the inner envelope, the voted ballot, and the required certification.  Counties are permitted under current law to supply a postage prepaid outer envelope, but are not required to do so.  This bill would require the county clerk to affix the proper and necessary first-class or air-mail prepaid postage to the outer envelopes used by the voters to return the voted mail-in ballot prior to mailing the ballots to the voters.

     To avoid an unfunded mandate and a challenge under Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 5 of the New Jersey Constitution, the bill requires that these costs be reimbursed to the county by the State upon application for reimbursement to the Secretary of State and approval of the application by the Department of the Treasury.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to update several section of the bill to the current version of the law.