Tag: New Jersey Open Meeting Law

Amended OPMA Legislation Reintroduced

Changes could be in store for New Jersey’s open government laws in 2013. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, recently reintroduced amendments to New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). As we previously discussed on this New Jersey Government & Law Blog, Weinberg’s previous effort to amend the law stalled

Social Media Use By New Jersey Municipalities: The Risks and Rewards

Municipalities across the country are increasingly using social media to keep in touch with their citizens. In fact, sites like Twitter and Facebook are credited with playing a valuable role in the wake of Hurricane Isaac by keeping residents of impacted communities informed of road closures, power restoration efforts, and

Should New Jersey Municipalities Amend Open Meeting Rules to Reflect New Technology?

While new technology like e-mail and social media makes it easier for government officials to communicate with colleagues, it can also lead to inadvertent violations of the New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). As a result, many municipalities are amending their public meeting rules to specifically address electronic communications.

Update: Court Rules Rutgers Open Meeting Law Violations Not Actionable

The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that violations of the state’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) by Rutgers University are not actionable. While the court acknowledged that the university’s Board of Governors did not fully comply with the letter of the law, it held that the minor violations did

Senator Loretta Weinberg Champions the Public’s Right for Transparency in Government

Legislative efforts to strengthen the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and the Open Public Records Act have met significant resistance from New Jersey municipalities. The amendments, proposed by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, are intended to update the New Jersey open records laws and bring them in line with

Could OPRA Lead to Privacy Concerns for New Jersey Citizens?

The debate on the balance between individual privacy and the public’s right to information about public business is back in the center of attention as the New Jersey State Legislature continues to debate the state’s open government laws. Assemblyman Jack M. Ciattarelli announced his plans to introduce legislation that would

Practice of “Sequencing” Comes Under Fire in Rutgers Open Meeting Case

The New Jersey Supreme Court is currently considering whether Rutgers University broke New Jersey law when its Board of Governors met privately to discuss the university’s football program. Because it is a state institution, Rutgers is subject to New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and must follow certain rules