NJ public notice legislation extended
Senate panel OKs 4 months more
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... The state Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a four-month extension of a law allowing public notices p the tiny ads in print newspapers htat make the public aware of municipal and county meetings, planning board applications, sheriff's sales and many other official government actions - to be posted on the corresponding newspaper's website.
.....
The extension, which runs through June, 2[205] also requires newspapers and Online news publications that publish public notices to submit information to the governor and nonpartisan office of legislative services that include the number of paid digital subscriptions; the number of unpaid digital or print subscriptions; the number of newspapers sold each day by retailers; the public notices and legal advertisements in print or electronic format form 2020 to 2024; the average retail price of digital and print subscription; the number pf daily page views for the web-page on the Online news publications; Internet website where public notices and legal advertisements are published; and any other information as may be required.
..... The need for the shift to digital, lawmakers say, was sparked by the end of print publications. of The Star-Ledger, Jersey Journal, The Times of Trenton and the South Jersey Times earlier this month. [02/2025]
..... State Senator Paul Sarlo the bill's sponsor said the Legislature "needs to get this right."
..... "We were criticized during the Open Public Records Act adjustment and reforms, saying it was rushed. We're taking our time here with extensions to get this right. We're fact-finding to get the data we need," he said. "We want this to be as transparent as possible, where every person has the ability to get to it. We want to make sure, since we are spending money on it, that we are going to the largest, widest audience as possible."
..... His co-sponsor state Senator Anthony Bucco said he was "happy to be part of this process and to make it a bipartisan solution."
..... The notices are intended to make the public aware of meetings and actions being undertaken by their local and county governments.
..... The cost of public notices varies based on the length and topic. However, it is typically a very small portion of a municipality's budget. For instance:
* Denville spent $6,326.16 on public notices in 2024. by comparison, the town spent $16,000 on "other expenses" related to its beautification committee.
* Wood-Ridge, where Sarlo serves as mayor, paid $5,878,54 on public notices. By comparison, the bough spent $35,000 on salaries and wages for tis seven-member governing body.
* Holmdel Township spent $3,892.70 on public notices in 2024 but gave away more than $2 million in taxes due to a "payment in lieu of taxes" agreement for the Bell Works complex.
* Lakewood Township paid $13,477.14 for pubic notices. By comparison, it spent $1.7 million for mechanics in 2024.
* Vineland spent $14,186.87 on public notices. The city operates with a taxpayer-funded surplus of more than $9.4 million.
..... This planed reworking of the Open Public Meetings Act comes at a time when lawmakers have already taken steps to limit government transparency and accountability measures.
..... Sarlo, along with Assemblyman Joe Danielson, sponsored legislation last year [2024] to overhaul the Open Public Records Act, limiting access to government records. In 2023, another co-sponsor of the measure, Senate President Nick Scutari, with Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, sponsored legislation know as the Electrons Transparency Act, which weakened campaign finance law.
..... Governor Phil Murphy signed both of those bills into law.