1. The Legislature affirms that the preservation of responsible government requires that the fullest opportunity be afforded to the people of the State to petition their government for the redress of grievances and to express freely to individual legislators, committees of the Legislature and the Governor their opinion on legislation and current issues, to Executive Branch officers and agencies their opinion on rules and regulations developed and promulgated by those officers and agencies in the exercise of powers delegated to them by law, and to the Governor and Executive Branch officers and agencies their opinion on matters involving the administration of various governmental processes by the Governor and those officers and agencies in the exercise of powers delegated to them by law.

The Legislature finds, however, that the preservation and maintenance of the integrity of the legislative process, the regulatory process and governmental process, including the development and promulgation of rules and regulations or administration of various governmental processes to effectuate the implementation of statutory law, requires the identification in certain instances of persons and groups who seek to influence the content, introduction, passage or defeat of legislation, the proposal, adoption, amendment, or repeal of rules and regulations or the administration of various governmental processes, and, where it is not otherwise apparent or readily ascertainable, the nature of the interest which those persons and groups seek to advance or protect through such activity.

It is in the public interest to closely monitor the activities of governmental affairs agents and lobbyists with respect to their involvement in influencing legislative, regulatory and governmental processes to ensure the integrity of government.

Therefore, it is the purpose of this act, as amended by P.L.2004, c.27, to require adequate disclosure in certain instances in order to make available to the Legislature, governmental officials and the public information relative to the activities of persons who seek to influence the content, introduction, passage or defeat of legislation, the proposal, adoption, amendment or repeal of rules and regulations or the administration of various governmental processes by such means.

L.1971,c.183,s.1; amended 1991, c.243, s.2; 2004, c.27, s.1.