19:44A-41. Violations; fines; hearings; assessment of penalty

a. Any person who willfully and knowingly violates sections 4, 6, 9, 10 or 19 of this act shall in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be liable to a penalty of not more than $1,000.00 for the first offense and not more than $2,000.00 for the second and each subsequent offense.

b. Upon receiving evidence of any violation of sections 4, 6, 9, 10 or 19 of this act, the Election Law Enforcement Commission shall have power to hold, or to cause to be held under the provisions of subsection d. of this section, hearings upon such violation and, upon finding any person to have committed such a violation, to assess such penalty, within the limits prescribed in subsection a. of this section, as it deems proper under the circumstances, which penalty shall be paid forthwith into the State Treasury for the general purposes of the State. Such penalty shall be enforceable in a summary proceeding under the "Penalty Enforcement Law" (N.J.S. 2A:58-1 et seq.).

c. In assessing any penalty under this section, the Election Law Enforcement Commission may provide for the remission of all or any part of such penalty conditioned upon the prompt correction of any failure, neglect, error or omission constituting the violation for which said penalty was assessed.

d. The commission may designate a hearing officer to hear complaints of violations of this act. Such hearing officer shall take testimony, compile a record and make factual findings, and shall submit the same to the commission, which shall have power to assess penalties within the limits and under the conditions prescribed in subsection b. of this section. The commission shall review the record and findings of the hearing officer, but it may also seek such additional testimony as it deems necessary. The commission's determination shall be by majority vote of the entire authorized membership thereof.

L.1974, c. 26, s. 16, eff. May 6, 1974.