Beck Votes to Advance Tax Cuts to Make NJ a More Affordable Place to Retire

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) voted to pass a pair of tax-cut bills through the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee. Sen. Jennifer Beck voted for a pair of tax-cut bills before the Senate…

Bateman Bill Expanding Eligibility for Benefits Under “Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights” Passes Senate

The Senate passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman to include the domestic or civil union partner of a homicide victim among those eligible to receive compensation, as well as…

NJ Senate Democrats Again Deny the People Port Authority Reform

Senate Democrats voted again to block the passage of bipartisan legislation to reform the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. During Thursday’s Senate session, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean proposed…

Senate Passes Holzapfel Bill to Prevent Children’s Access to Loaded Firearms

Senator Jim Holzapfel’s (R-10) legislation to increase penalties for leaving a loaded firearm within easy access of a minor resulting in injury or death was approved by the New Jersey Senate in…

Pennacchio: What About Reform for DRPA?

Senator Joe Pennacchio (R—Morris, Passaic) issued the following statement today after Senate Democrats voted in favor of dead-end reforms for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, while continuing to…

Senate Passes Kean Ethics Bill to Make Local Government More Accountable

The New Jersey Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean to strengthen local government accountability and ethics, in part, by transferring oversight at the municipal and county levels to…

Beck Announces Increased State School Funding for Freehold & Red Bank

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) announced that additional school funding for Freehold, Red Bank and other under-adequacy districts is included in New Jersey’s proposed FY2017 budget. Sen. Jennifer Beck was joined by Freehold Borough…

Oroho Statement on Governor’s Budget Address

Senator Steven Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) issued the following statement regarding the Governor’s budget address and the upcoming legislative budget season: Sen. Steven Oroho said that in upcoming budgeting process the Legislature…

Connors, Rumpf & Gove: Small Businesses & Seniors Will Be Hit Hard by Minimum Wage Increase

Imposing more state mandates will have a chilling effect on New Jersey’s economy warned the 9th Legislative District delegation, following the announcement of what is the latest in a string of anti-small…

Connors, Rumpf & Gove Are ‘NO’ Votes on Gas Tax Increase

Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove want their position to be known to legislative colleagues and special interests bent on increasing New Jersey’s gas tax…

Fifteen NJ State Police matters pending before OAL.

On February 18, 2016, I wrote about contested disciplinary charges against State Troopers Kenneth Franco and Georgina Sirakides that I had obtained by making an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to…

Department News – COPs Collectible Card Program 2016 – Monday, February 22, 2016

COPs Collectible Card Program – The Lacey Township Police Department is excited to announce the 2016 COPs Collectible Card Program. The members of the police department, through the Lacey Municipal Police Foundation, have…

OPRA's "immediate access" provision tested in GRC filing.

The New Jersey Government Records Council has been asked to enforce a former Clifton City councilwoman’s right to “immediate access” to a contract between the Clifton Board of Education and a contractor…

Unpublished trial court OPRA opinion.

Unpublished opinions” are not published in the law books and are not ordinarily written about in legal periodicals. Unless somebody puts them on-line and calls attention to them, they are likely not…

Upcoming public discussion: Should video from police cameras be off-limits?

Senator Paul A. Sarlo On Tuesday, February 23, 2016, the Bergen County NAACP will host a public forum to discuss proposed legislation that seeks to prevent public access to all police camera…

A Google Trends Post-Mortem: Chris Christie Failed to Create Interest

After dismal performances in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie could be on the verge of hanging up the spikes. Christie is expected to announce the suspension of…

OPRA lawsuit seeks "informal" correspondence that revealed Bayonne lawsuits' settlement amounts.

On Friday, March 4, 2016 at 9 a.m. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Turula will hear my Open Public Records Act (OPRA) case against the City of Bayonne. See, Paff…

Burlington Judge: OPRA is not restricted to state residents.

In an October 2, 2015 decision, Burlington County Assignment Judge Ronald E. Bookbinder ruled that a requestor does not have to reside in New Jersey in order to use and enforce his…

OPRA's applicability to volunteer fire companies.

I am aware of three cases that shed light on whether volunteer fire companies are subject to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act. Mat Stern v. Lakewood Volunteer Fire Department, et…

Community Notice – Controlled Burning – Possible Smell of Smoke from Barnegat Township – Lacey Township Police Department – Friday, January 15, 2016

Controlled Burning – The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has notified the Lacey Township Police Department that they will be conducting controlled burning today (Friday, January 15, 2016) in the area of Barnegat and…

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