CIANJ LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

CIANJ is the state’s leading business advocate in Trenton. On behalf of our members large and small, CIANJ works to ensure your voice is heard in Trenton and to keep you informed of the policies that impacting your business. CIANJ’s strong advocacy efforts make a difference for its members:

CIANJ keeps you informed and up-to-date on the policies impacting your business.
A benefit exclusive to members is subscription to CIANJ’s informative publications--the monthly Commerce magazine and the weekly Business Beat e-newsletter. Both highlight relevant news stories and government activity, with an eye toward how these issues will impact your business. In addition, CIANJ’s website features timely news updates on policy matters and provides a tool for you and your employees to easily make your voice heard by communicating with the appropriate elected official.

CIANJ consistently speaks out on behalf of your business.
By closely monitoring and consistently weighing-in on legislation that impacts your day-to-day operations, CIANJ ensures the perspective of the small business owner is heard in Trenton. CIANJ regularly testifies on behalf of the business community in front of Senate and Assembly Committees on issues that can dramatically affect your business and your bottom line, such as labor relations and human resources, environmental regulations, healthcare insurance, the state budget, and tax policies. Moreover, CIANJ is always at the table when government leaders look to meet with key constituent groups regarding important policies and issues.

CIANJ fights for your issues.
Even if a bill or regulation impacts only one of our members, we do our best to make a difference and advocate on behalf of that company. For example, when a new sales tax on security guards was being contemplated in this year’s budget, CIANJ’s President met with the state Treasurer and successfully averted this costly increase which would have severely impacted a handful of our members. If it has to do with free enterprise, CIANJ will take on any issue large or small that impacts your business. Additionally, we will be happy to arrange meetings for you with local, county, state or federal officials.

CIANJ opens the door to relationships with local, county, state and federal decision-makers.
Through our long-standing relationships with officials on both sides of the aisle, our Association provides businesses with numerous opportunities for face-to-face interaction with key state legislators, members of Congress, Administration officials, local officials, and decision-makers. Throughout the year, CIANJ holds a variety of meetings and events that allow our individual members to interact with some of the state’s leading officials on issues of importance to them:

• Every month, our Legislative Committee hosts with a different state lawmaker for a breakfast roundtable in our conference room to meet with our members and discuss issues important to them.
• In April, CIANJ hosts our annual “one on one” legislative dinner which over 30 lawmakers regularly attend.
• CIANJ annually brings a delegation of executives to Washington and meets with every NJ member of Congress.
• We host numerous special events, conferences and meetings with members of Administration, federal representatives and local officials on timely business issues. For example, CIANJ recently held meetings with Assemblywoman Valerie Vianieri Huttle, Senator Thomas H. Kean, Jr., Assemblyman Gary Shaer, Assemblyman Joseph Pennacchio and Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance.