Paid sick leave most lobbied issue in New Jersey in 2014

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A report finds that the battle over whether New Jersey should require businesses to offer workers paid sick leave was the most heavily lobbied in the state last year.

And the debate is likely not over yet.

The state Election Law Enforcement Commission found that 69 groups hired lobbyists on the topic and those lobbyists reported 294 contacts with state agencies in 2014. Both the number of groups and the number of contacts were the highest of any issue.

The reports do not say how much was spent lobbying on the topic.

Twenty-seven groups opposed the paid leave requirement, 19 favored it and 23 others were monitoring it without taking an official position.

Bills on the issue have not come up for votes in either chamber of the Legislature.

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