ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4429

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  October 24, 2024

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4429.

      As amended, this bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend employer-sponsored meetings or participate in any communications related to political matters with employers or their agents or representatives.

      Under current law, employers are prohibited only from requiring employees to attend employee sponsored meetings or participate in any communications with an employer or their agents or representatives, the purpose of which is to communicate the employers’ opinion about religious or political matters.  As amended, this bill defines political matters to mean matters which relate to an electioneering communication, a proposal to change legislation, and a proposal to change a regulation; and the employee’s decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal, or labor organization or association.

      Current law provides that employers are not prohibited from permitting employees to voluntarily attend employer-sponsored meetings or providing other communications to the employees, if the employer notifies the employees that they may refuse to attend the meetings or accept the communications without penalty.  As amended, in addition to that provision, the bill provides that it does not:

      (1)  prohibit communications of information that the employer is required by law to communicate;

      (2)  limit the rights of an employer or its agent, representative, or designee from communicating to its employees any information that is necessary for the employees to perform their required job duties, including by  requiring employees to attend a meeting or participate in communications;

      (3)  prohibit an employer or its agent or representative, or designee from requiring its employees to attend any training to reduce or prevent unlawful workplace harassment or discrimination;

      (4)  prohibit an institution of higher education, or any agent, representative, or designee of the institution, from conducting mandatory meetings or participating in any communications with its employees concerning any coursework, symposia, research, publication, or an academic program at the institution;

      (5)  prohibit, where lawful, a candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, independent expenditure committee, political party committee or legislative leadership committee,  lobbyist as defined in section 3 of P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-20), or a not-for-profit organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) to 501(c)(6)), from requiring its staff or employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative or designee for the purpose of communicating political matters;

      (6)  prohibit the State and any political subdivision or other instrumentality of the State from requiring their employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, or proposals to change public policy; or

      (7)  prohibit a religious organization from requiring its employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's religious beliefs, practices, or tenets.

      Employers are required to post notice of employee rights under the bill in a conspicuous place reserved for employment-related notices and in a place commonly frequented by employees.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  define political matters to mean matters which relate to an electioneering communication, a proposal to change legislation, and a proposal to change a regulation; and the employee’s decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal, or labor organization or association; and

      (2)  provide several additional exemptions to prohibitions under the bill.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.