1. There is created a special, non-lapsing fund in the Department of State that shall be designated the “Mail-In Ballot Local Reimbursement Fund.” The fund shall be maintained as a separate account and administered by the Secretary of State. The fund shall consist of: (1) any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; and (2) all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund. The fund shall be used to offset the additional direct expenditures required for the implementation of P.L.2018, c.72 and P.L.2019, c.265 and any rule or regulation issued pursuant thereto.

There shall be appropriated annually through the annual appropriations act such amounts as shall be deemed necessary for the purposes of the fund.

The clerk of each county, shall, on or before January 1 of each year following the year for which the county, or any municipality, board of education, or fire district therein, is seeking reimbursement, certify to the Department of State, in a manner prescribed by the department, the total cost incurred by the county, municipality, board of education, or fire district in implementing the provisions of P.L.2018, c.72 and P.L.2019, c.265.

L.2019, c.459, s.1.