EASING THE OPRA BURDEN FROM COMMERCIAL REQUESTS AND EXCESSIVE ATTORNEY FEES A law firm sought court approval of legal fees for $565.0 per hour and a grand total of $227,667.00 to litigate a matter under the Open Public Records Act (Act). A company that brands itself as “a trusted information database of government purchase orders,” made a public records request for purchasing data and then sold the information as a supplier subscription A nationwide company that advertises itself as the “largest network of accurate construction project leads … to help you win more jobs,” made a publ...

TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND Notwithstanding earlier reports that Governor Murphy had signed into law A-4011 (Calabrese D-36/Wimberly D-35)(Sarlo D-36/Scutari D-22), he is expected to do so early next week as the measure would reauthorize the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), revise the gas tax calculation, and establish an annual fee for zero emission standards. NJAC testified in support of the legislation before committees in both houses as the measure reestablishes a stable, dependable, and long-term source of constitutionally dedicated funding that will continue to ensure a safe and reliable...

FISCAL YEAR 2025 STATE BUDGET On February 27th, Governor Murphy delivered the Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget before both house of the State Legislature at the State House in Trenton. NJAC will spend the next several weeks reviewing the $55,900,000,000.00 billion dollar spending plan and will testify at public hearings before budget committees in both houses later this month. Please note that although you may review the “Budget in Brief” at www.nj.gov/treasury/omb/publications/25bib/BIB.pdf, the document only provides a summary of the Governor’s budget recommendations. The State Office of Manag...

1. Bills Signed Recently into Law COUNTY REORGANIZATION MEETINGS: On January 8th, Governor Murphy signed into law S-4081 (Beach D-6/Diegnan D-18)(Atkins D-22/Carter D-22)  as P.L.  2023, c. 226, which authorizes boards of county commissioners to hold annual reorganization meetings at additional locations other than the Superior Court. NJAC is grateful to the sponsors for their leadership in introducing this legislation on behalf of the Association as one of our top priorities to close the 2022/23 legislative session; and, thank you to the clerks of the board for their help  and guidance in ra...

COUNTY REORGANIZATION MEETINGS On December 7th, NJAC testified before the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee in support of S-4081 (Beach D-6/Diegnan D-18), which would allow boards of county commissioners to hold annual reorganization meetings at additional locations other than the Superior Court. NJAC commends senators Beach and Diegnan for their leadership in introducing this legislation on behalf of the Association as one of our top legislative priorities to close the 2022/23 legislative session. Under current law, county governments must hold ...

Over the past few months, NJAC has been meeting with State leaders to discuss our legislative goals for the remainder of the 2022/23 session with the following two matters concerning online legal notices and county reorganization meetings as our top priorities. ONLINE LEGAL NOTICES ISSUE: NJAC is urging State leaders to pass legislation that would provide local governing bodies with the opportunity to electronically publish legal notices in a newspaper’s website or digital publication. In general, current law requires purchasing officials, clerks of the boards, planning departments, improvem...

BAN ON THE SALE OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is accepting comments on Governor Murphy’s plan to prohibit the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035. You may review the proposed rules in their entirety by visiting  https://dep.nj.gov/rules/notice-of-rule-proposals/20230821a/ and may submit comments  by the close of business on October 20, 2023. In general, the proposed rules would incorporate by reference California’s Advanced Clear Car II (ACC II) regulation, which will require manufacturers of passenger cars an...

NJAC is advocating for the following legislative goals during the remainder of the 2022/23 session as they would help county governments across the State operate in a more efficient and effective manner. LEGAL NOTICES ISSUE: NJAC is urging State leaders to pass legislation that would provide local governing bodies with the opportunity to electronically publish legal notices in a newspaper’s website or digital publication. In general, current law requires purchasing officials, clerks of the boards, planning departments, improvement authorities, and several others to publish onerous written in...

HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASES Late yesterday, AON released its “Plan Year 2024 Rate Setting Recommendation Analysis” for local governments participating in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), which includes a total premium rate change increase of 7.4% as follows: “The recommended rate change for Local Government Actives is a 7% increase for medical and a 19.9% increase for the prescription drug premium rates, for a total increase of 7.3%. The recommended rate change for Local Government Early Retirees is a 2% increase for medical and a 20.8% increase for the prescription drug prem...

PROHIBITION OF PRIVATIZATION CONTRACTS On June 15th, NJAC testified before the Assembly Labor Committee in opposition to A- 5430 ((Reynolds-Jackson D-15/Wimberly D-35), which would establish procedures and standards concerning public services privatization contracts. NJAC is primarily concerned with the fact that this legislation would effectively prohibit the use of privatization contracts by requiring county governments to pay new employees’ wages and benefits at a rate not less than the wages and benefits paid to displaced employees. As noted below, counties enter into privatization contr...