Spending on Lobbying Declines

For the second year in a row, groups spent less money trying to influence state government than the prior year, with pandemic-related lobbying waning and no major statewide issues driving spending.

The annual report on lobbying from the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) found groups and lobbying firms spent almost $95.1 million last year. That is roughly 1% less than in 2021 and some 11% lower than the all-time high of nearly $107 million spent in 2020. COVID-19 first hit New Jersey in March of that year, prompting lawmakers to advance a raft of emergency measures in such areas as health care, schools and business.