The Assembly recently passed legislation that would prohibit public agencies from incorporating confidentiality provisions into settlement agreements with a whistleblower. Assembly Bill No. 4243 also provides that such settlements constitute public records. Assemblyman John McKeon introduced the bill in response to a settlement agreement in which the state agreed to
The New Jersey Department of Education is currently considering amendments that would overhaul how the state regulates Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSDs). The proposed changes are intended to increase oversight and crack down on alleged nepotism and improper spending. Role of APSSDs in New Jersey There are
Two bills intended to strengthen the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) are advancing in the New Jersey Assembly. One measure addresses urban enterprise zone sales tax revenues, while the other extends the UEZ designation in all qualifying municipalities for additional 10 years. New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise (UEZ) Program, which dates back
The New Jersey Assembly recently advanced legislation that would increase distributions from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund to local municipalities over a period of five years. The goal of the bill (AB 302) is to restore $331 million in municipal aid reductions that took place in Fiscal
The New Jersey Government Records Council (GRC) recently considered the electronic transmission of public records request under the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA). While the GRC concluded that records custodians are not required to accept requests via email, it did find that excluding all forms of electronic transmission would
Many New Jersey municipalities, such as Jersey City, use tax abatements to incentivize local development projects. Starting later this year, local governments will be required to disclose the agreements on their financial statements. Under newly issued guidelines by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB), state and local governments will be
The Appellate Division has addressed the appraisal and good faith negotiation obligations of a condemning authority under N.J.S.A. 20:3-6. In County of Morris v. Randolph Town Center Associates, L.P., the court held that the County of Morris made a fair offer and attempted to initiate bona-fide negotiations, despite the property
The City of New Brunswick recently settled a lawsuit challenging two ordinances intended to restrict panhandling. One ordinance required a permit to solicit charitable contributions, while the other made it unlawful to beg or solicit food or monies on any street or sidewalk within the city. The plaintiff, a homeless
