Opra Nj Legislature

Leo Migdal

-Dec 6, 2025, 12:50 PM

OPRA is a state law that was enacted to give the public greater access to government records maintained by public agencies in New Jersey. Government records available from Legislative offices are primarily Legislative records. If you want a government record from an Executive agency such as, for example, the Department of Education or the Department of Environmental Protection, you should go to the New Jersey website at www.state.nj.us... If you are looking for New Jersey court records, visit the New Jersey Judiciary. Further, the Open Public Records Act requires that State entities provide access to government records in their possession, with certain exceptions. The Open Public Records Act does not require or authorize State entities to provide legal services to private parties.

Finally, if you only need a copy of a New Jersey Statute (law), the New Jersey Statutes may be accessed through the Legislature's home page. Generally, the New Jersey Statutes and the New Jersey Administrative Code (Executive Branch regulations) are available at public libraries. From where would you like to receive information? This document is a complete copy of P.L. 2001, c. 404, commonly known as the Open Public Records Act, as amended by P.L.

2024, c.16 (effective September 3, 2024). It is the full text of the law, specially formatted to be easily readable and to serve as a reference document for users. The formatting consisted of adding bullet points, paragraph breaks, and spacing to facilitate easy use. However, no text or punctuation has been altered. To assist readers in using the law, references have been made in the left margin to highlight the content of each section or important subsections. You can also download a .pdf copy of the "Readable Version of OPRA (as of September 3, 2024)" and prior versions of OPRA in the "More Information" box.

Open Public Records ActP.L. 2001, CHAPTER 404N.J.S. 47:1A-1 et seq. (Effective September 3, 2024) C.47:1A-1 Legislative findings, declarations. ‘If I believed that this bill would enable corruption in any way, I would unhesitatingly veto it,’ governor says

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a controversial bill overhauling New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) into law – a win for the leaders of the State Legislature, who were the chief drivers of the... In a statement, Murphy acknowledged that his decision to sign the bill would be a contentious one, noting the many groups and politicians who vociferously protested against it during its passage through the legislature. “I have heard the many objections to the bill directly, and I know that they are made in good faith and with good intentions,” Murphy wrote. “I also commend everyone who has engaged in this debate for making their voice heard, which is the foundation of our democratic system of government.” Ultimately, though, Murphy said that he did not believe the bill would harm transparency, and that the legislators who crafted it did a good job of balancing the various interests at play.

The eighth article in an ongoing series intended to help NJ residents, especially students, understand their local and state government. New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) allows the NJ residents access to important documents and is the backbone of public accountability in NJ. Through OPRA residents can access vendor agreements, emails about public business, budgets and a whole slew of paper that tells the real story. New Jersey’s OPRA law was, until recently, one of the strongest transparency laws in the country. The Legislature passed a significant overhaul, signed into law in June 2024. These amendments, now known as P.L.

2024, c.16, significantly changed how requests must be submitted, how agencies may respond and the public’s options when their requests for records are denied. NJ21st has used OPRA to fact check government officials, expose a whole host of problematic government decisions and shine light on ethics violations and illegal actions. Two Paths of Access for Public Records – OPRA and the Common Law Right of Access The New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (P.L.

2001, c. 404), commonly abbreviated OPRA, is a statute that provides a right to the public to access certain public records in the State of New Jersey, as well as the process by which that right... In general, OPRA provides that "government records shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination by the citizens of this State, with certain exceptions, for the protection of the public interest."[1] OPRA may... During the eight years of the Chris Christie administration, his office spent more than $1 million challenging OPRA requests, including court fees for illegally withholding information.[6] Although the Government Records Council is charged with settling OPRA release disputes, the underfunded and understaffed agency has a backlog of requests dating to 2014. In late March 2018, an estimated 10% remained outstanding, including some assigned to other government entities, but 347 flagged as GRC “work in progress”.

One woman's official open records complaint took more than two years to resolve. What was supposed to be a more efficient means of challenging denied requests is characterized as an even more onerous system; one open records advocate described the situation as "justice delayed… justice denied".[3] In January 2018, outgoing Governor Chris Christie pre-emptively restricted the State Archives' release of his administration's public records, particularly electronic records. This came to light a few months later, in May 2018, when access to records between the Christie administration and the Kushner Companies, previously run by the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was blocked by... Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. On August 28, 2024, the League and the Government Records Council (GRC) presented an educational webinar.

The session is available to watch on demand and the presentation slides can be downloaded. No CEU credits are available for watching. The following is an information center for local governments pertaining to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA). These laws impact the lives of local officials daily. The League often holds seminars on OPRA, the dates of which can be found in the Professional Development section. Below are a number of written resources for your use.

The Open Public Meetings Act, popularly known as the "Sunshine Law," was approved on October 21, 1975, and became effective on January 19, 1976 (PL 1975, chapter 231). The Sunshine Law was enacted in response to growing public cynicism about politics and distrust of government in the wake of the Vietnam War and Watergate. The intent of the Sunshine Law was to have government meetings conducted in the open, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the public interest and without invading individual privacy. Created under OPRA, the Government Records Council (GRC) is tasked with responding to inquiries and complaints about the law from the public and public agency records custodians. The GRC issues advisory opinions on the accessibility of government records and delivers training on the law. Most importantly, the GRC provides mediation of disputes about access to government records and issues rulings by acting as an alternative to the courts.

Seeing this link on any public agency web site brings up information about the agency's public record access information. New Jersey public agencies are urged to use this symbol to bring web users to their OPRA information. This symbol brings you to the "Government Records Council," the independent agency that oversees compliance to OPRA. Here users can view information regarding OPRA, contact the OPRA Open GRC and register a complaint online. Seeing this link on any public agency web site brings up information about the agency's public record access information. New Jersey public agencies are urged to use this symbol to bring web users to their OPRA information.

This symbol brings you to the "Government Records Council," the independent agency that oversees compliance to OPRA. Here users can view information regarding OPRA, contact the OPRA Open GRC and register a complaint online. This online form can be used to request government record(s) from any State department. The New Jersey Legislature gutted the Open Public Records Act on Monday, passing legislation that will roll back access to government documents and data. The bill, positioned by its sponsors as a reform to OPRA, is now on its way to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk.

Here’s a look at how every member of the Legislature voted on the measure. In order to cast a vote, lawmakers — or their aides — are required to press a button on their respective desks. That vote is then recorded and made visible on large screens within the both the Assembly and state Senate chambers. A few legislators have changed their votes since the voting machines were closed Monday. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehosue. Email: sobko@northjersey.com

Opra Nj Legislature

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