Small businesses will be able to get out of costly fines for first time filing mistakes under legislation that has passed the New Jersey Assembly.

The bill, sponsored by Ocean County Assemblymen Ron Dancer and Assemblyman Anthony Bucco, (A1677) suspends fines for inconsequential paperwork procedure violations.

“The state has an unfriendly business environment, and small employers are struggling every day to survive,” Dancer (R-Ocean) said. “There’s no need to clobber them with fines for technical errors that don’t harm anyone. New Jersey should focus on growing the economy, not punishing job creators for honest mistakes.”

Fines will not be suspended if the violation harms the general public, interferes with the detection of criminal activity, impacts the collection of a tax, debt or revenue, or if it is not corrected within six months.

“The cost of doing business in New Jersey is high enough," Bucco (R-Morris) said. “The last thing small businesses need is to be burdened with penalties for petty errors. Eliminating another burdensome regulation is always a positive step.”

Small businesses employ more than 1.7 million people in New Jersey.

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