NEWLY ENACTED LAWS: Click Here for Text of Laws

 

• P.L.2022 c.128 Reduces from 18 to 12 specific credit hours required for Animal Health Technician job title in civil service; allows substitution of five years of experience for education requirement. (Approved 12/12/2022)
•  PL 2023 c. 16 (Approved 3/9/23) (Bill s3595/A5177) https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S4000/3595_R1.PDF

PENDING BILLS:   Click here for full text of bills

• S2912 - Provides police officers may be present at senior residential center or school being used as polling place under certain circumstances; requires school to establish election day security plan (2nd Reading in  Senate to concur w/ Assembly Amendments on 11/3/22)
• A220 - Prohibits payment to public employees at retirement for certain unused sick leave, provides for forfeiture of payment for unused sick leave for certain criminal convictions, and requires documentation for use of sick leave.
• A3915 - Requires State to pay for costs to conduct new election if the State is at fault for errors during initial election that requires new election to be held. (2nd Reading in House on 6/23/22)
• S757 - Authorizes special occasion events at certain commercial farms on preserved farmland, under certain conditions; appropriates $85,000. Governor conditional veto, 2^nd reading in assembly to concur w/ Governor’s recommendations on 10/20/22)
• A2472 - Establishes bribery in official and political matters applies to person soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept benefit as consideration to act even though not yet in office or otherwise qualified to act. Governor conditional veto, 2^nd reading in Senate to concur w/ Governor’s recommendations)
• S2000 - Exempts certain health information contained in 9-1-1 calls from definition of government record. (2nd Reading in 1^st House on 6/23/22)
• S435 - Authorizes certain local authorities to distribute live recordings of certain public hearings in lieu of transcript requirement. (2nd House Passed 1/26/23)
• A2002 - Requires State registrar to permit county surrogate to provide certified copy of death certificate to authorized person under certain circumstances. (Sent to Governor 1/20/23)
• S856 - Allows canvassing of early votes and mail-in ballots before election day under certain conditions.
• S2866 - Establishes "Elections Transparency Act;" requires independent expenditure committees report campaign contributions; increases contribution limits; changes reporting and other requirements; concerns certain business entity contributions and certain local (House 1, 2nd Reading 2/16/23)
• A4184 - Requires DCA to allow hiring of information technology and cybersecurity professionals pursuant to shared service incentive programs. (House2: 2nd Reading 2/9/23)
• A1223 - Allows municipalities to adjust deadline to apply for short-term exemption or abatement for dwellings; requires provision of notice to purchasers of dwellings in areas in need of rehabilitation under certain circumstances. (House2: 2nd Reading 1/12/23)
• S2423 - Allows local government deferred compensation plans to invest in collective investment trusts. (House2: 2nd Reading 11/21/22)
• S3124 - Changes definition of eligible contract for DOT grant program to compensate certain contractors and subcontractors affected by supply chain shortages (Sent to Governor on 1/26/23)
• A4184 - Requires DCA to allow hiring of information technology and cybersecurity professionals pursuant to shared service incentive programs. . (House2: 2nd Reading 2/9/23)
• S2423 - Allows local government deferred compensation plans to invest in collective investment trusts. (House2: 2nd Reading 11/21/22)
• S297 - Requires public agencies and government contractors to report cybersecurity incidents to New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. (Sent to Governor on 1/26/23)
• A1223 - Allows municipalities to adjust deadline to apply for short-term exemption or abatement for dwellings; requires provision of notice to purchasers of dwellings in areas in need of rehabilitation under certain circumstances. (House2: 2nd Reading 1/12/23)
• S3125 - Expands "Daniel's Law" to prohibit disclosure of personal information concerning child protective investigators. (House 2:  Committee 2/6/23)
• A4198 - Prohibits public disclosure of names and addresses in certain unemployment, temporary disability, and family leave claim appeals documents. (House1: 2nd Reading 1/26/23)
• A4094 - Requires redaction and nondisclosure of home address of elected officials and candidates for elected office. (House1: 2nd Reading 12/12/22)
• S2696 - Requires law enforcement agency to provide copy of certain police reports to crime victims. (House1: 2nd Reading 10/13/22)
• S2871 – Requires redaction and nondisclosure of home address of elected officials and candidates for elected office. (House1: 2nd Reading 10/13/22)
• S2709 - Permits appointment of additional alternate deputy registrars. (Sent to Governor on 1/26/23)

OPRA DECISIONS:

• Ernest Bozzi v. City of Jersey City (A-12-20) (084392) Argued March 15, 2021 -- Decided September 20, 2021 (OPRA-Dog License Lists)
• On June 21, 2022, the New Jersey Appellate Division in S.W. v. Elizabeth Board of Education confirmed in an unpublished opinion that a request made under the Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) to an attorney for a public entity is invalid. The Appellate Division held that OPRA explicitly requires a request for access to a government record to be "to the appropriate custodian," and counsel for a board of education is not a custodian within the meaning of OPRA under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g).

OTHER UPDATES:

• NJ Supreme Court Clarification on Municipal Vacancy Law Linden Democratic Committee v. City of Linden, https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/assets/opinions/supreme/a_30_21.pdf?c=3rB
• Teaneck Court Case Over Electronic Petition Signatures
• Responsible Dog Ownership Act
• NJ Supreme Court decision could impact municipal employment policies