3. Except as expressly authorized in section 13 of P.L.1971, c.182 (C. 52:13D-24) or when the lobbyist or governmental affairs agent is a member of the immediate family of the officer or staff member of the Executive Branch or member of the Legislature or legislative staff, no lobbyist or governmental affairs agent shall offer or give or agree to offer or give, directly or indirectly, any compensation, reward, employment, gift, honorarium or other thing of value to an officer or staff member of the Executive Branch or member of the Legislature or legislative staff, totaling more than $250.00 in a calendar year. The $250.00 limit on any compensation, reward, gift, honorarium or other thing of value shall also apply to each member of the immediate family of a member of the Legislature, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1971, c.182 (C. 52:13D-13) to be a spouse, child, parent, or sibling of the member residing in the same household as the member of the Legislature.

b. The prohibition in subsection a. of this section on offering or giving, or agreeing to offer or give, any compensation, reward, gift, honorarium or other thing of value shall not apply if it is in the course of employment, by an employer other than the State, of an individual covered in subsection a. of this section or a member of the immediate family. The prohibition in subsection a. of this section on offering or giving, or agreeing to offer or give, any compensation, reward, gift, honorarium or other thing of value shall not apply if receipt is from a member of the immediate family when the family member received such in the course of his or her employment.

c. Subsection a. of this section shall not apply if an officer or staff member of the Executive Branch or member of the Legislature or legislative staff who accepted any compensation, reward, gift, honorarium or other thing of value offered or given by a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent makes a full reimbursement, within 90 days of acceptance, to the lobbyist or governmental affairs agent in an amount equal to the money accepted or the fair market value of that which was accepted if other than money. As used in this subsection, “fair market value” means the actual cost of the compensation, reward, gift, honorarium or other thing of value accepted.

d. A violation of this section shall not constitute a crime or offense under the laws of this State.

L.2003,c.255,s.3; amended 2004, c.27, s.6.