Open government- burden and exposure

April 25, 2012

Despite earlier reports in the online world, the Jackson Township Council is just fine with the concept of open and transparent government. They simply prefer that no damage is done in providing transparency.

The controversy began late last week when the agenda for the April 24th meeting was published on the township website. Listed as a discussion item was a request from Council Vice President Updegrave calling for a resolution to oppose Bills S-1451 and S-1452, modifying the Open Public Meetings Act, and Open Public Records Act respectively.

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Free thinking on proposed bills a must

April 23, 2012    |  By Paul Mayerowitz

As has been reported in numerous publications across the state, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) has reintroduced two bills designed to overhaul New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act and Open Public Records Act, in an effort to improve open government and transparency. “The public has a reasonable expectation to transparency from government, and while New Jersey has, in the past, led the charge nationally in adopting public records and meeting laws, it’s time that we update and expand those laws to stay ahead of new trends in technology,” Weinberg said. (Read More)

OPMA gets a makeover

April 22, 2012

 

Summary of NJ Senate Bill 1451

This bill revises the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," N.J.S.A.10:4-6 et seq., to provide greater public access to meetings of public bodies and to in      formation about those meetings. Specifically, the bill:

• amends the findings and declarations section of the current law to express the Legislature's belief that secrecy in public affairs increases the risk of corruption and official misconduct, to make it clear that the public has a right to review the minutes and recordings of all meetings of public bodies, and to provide that a meeting of a subcommittee of a public body, other than the Legislature, may be subject to certain of the act's provisions;
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OPRA gets a makeover

April 22, 2012

 Summary of NJ Senate Bill 1452

This b ill makes chang es to the open public records act (OPRA). The bill:

• formally names OPRA as t he "Martin O'Shea Open Public Records Act" in honor of Martin O'Shea, a tireless advocate for broad public access to government records;
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April 13, 2012    |  By Press Release

THE OCEAN COUNTY Board of Chosen Freeholders will refinance up to $35 million in existing debt, resulting in a savings of more than $2.3 million over the next several years. (Read More)