GRC orders release of charter school demographic records

The Government Records Council (GRC) ruled last week that the Red Bank Charter School must release demographic data requested under the Open Public Records Act, including records showing a breakdown of the student population by grade, gender, race, eligibility for reduced-price lunches and other indicators of economic status. Under a 2007 court agreement, the school Read More …

Despite legislation, Port Authority of NY/NJ still not honoring OPRA

(UPDATE 2/2/17):  In what may be the first GRC complaint filed against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey since it became subject to OPRA in June 2015, the GRC ruled on Jan. 31, 2017 that the Authority violated OPRA by seeking “at least 3 weeks” to review a request (that was ignored Read More …

GRC says No to rule extending the window for reconsideration based on new evidence

Nine months after formally petitioning the Government Records Council (GRC) to expand the window for requesting reconsideration of a GRC decision when new evidence surfaces, NJFOG received word this week that the GRC has declined to change their procedure. The petition for rulemaking filed in March 2016 sought to extend the period of time for Read More …

Closed session minutes were not typed up, Kearny Clerk admits

Records requestors seeking minutes of non-public (closed or executive) session meetings often encounter roadblocks, from outright denials to delays to complete redactions. And in some cases, minutes are just a few lines long consisting of boiler plate language that offers no real information. Sometimes there is even a question as to whether minutes have been Read More …

Mercer County Judge rules unapproved minutes are exempt from OPRA

Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson ruled on July 12, 2016 that the Government Records Council’s (GRC) unapproved meeting minutes are exempt from disclosure because they are pre-decisional and deliberative. The ruling agrees with the GRC’s decision in the case of Parave-Fogg. The Superior Court lawsuit was an attempt to have the Parave-Fogg decision Read More …