Urgent Action Needed to Save OPRA

The Montgomery News | Posted May 8, 2024

Legislation poised to gut New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) is back. Despite consistent public opposition, S2930 / A4045 is scheduled for a committee hearing this Thursday, May 9.

OPRA is a state law that was enacted to give the public greater access to government records maintained by public agencies in New Jersey.

“New Jersey lawmakers are not backing down from their attempts to roll back government transparency and limit public access to public records. We aren’t backing down either,” according to Jesse Burns, executive director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey.

Montgomery Township’s OPRA request form.

“The amended version of the bill still significantly weakens OPRA and limits public access by gutting, fee-shifting, putting additional burdens on the public and creating unnecessary hurdles,” Burns said. “At the same time, the legislation does not create any real reform that would make it more efficient, easier, and faster to access records to help understand government activity and hold government accountable.”