As pressure from across the state mounted against a bill intended to overhaul the Open Public Records Act, state Assembly leaders pulled the measure on Thursday, March 14, before a vote of the appropriations committee. That vote would have been the last hurdle for the bill prior to a full vote of the Legislature.
The bill, introduced on March 4, was described by its sponsors as a necessary modernization of the OPRA statute to align it with technology-based privacy threats and misuse by commercial ventures interested in profiting from state records.
Opponents argued that the bill would undermine transparency in government, making it harder for citizens and journalists to shine a light on government actions. The measure was being fast-tracked through the Legislature; its opponents charged the aim was a quick vote that would leave them without time to marshal support for stopping it.
The bill has been pulled but is not dead. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said it will go through a process of review to consider amendments. Sponsors Sens. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Joe Danielson (D-Middlesex) say they will welcome continued public input despite the fact that the previous fast-tracking had limited such involvement.
Many municipalities supported the bill, arguing that the current OPRA system is inefficient and often leaves clerks overwhelmed with requests, especially from commercial entities.
Opponents of the bill have called the decision to pull it before the vote as a victory for democracy.
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