Bill Text: NJ A4511 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires BPU public meetings held in State-owned building to be broadcast live on Internet provided necessary technology is available in building.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-01 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [A4511 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4511-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires BPU public meetings held in State-owned building to be broadcast live on Internet provided necessary technology is available in building.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public meetings held by the Board of Public Utilities, and amending P.L.1968, c.405.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.1968, c.405 (C.48:23-4) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2010, c.104).
b. The authority shall consist of a board which shall be composed of five members: (1) three members appointed by the Governor who shall be citizens of the State, two of whom shall be public members; (2) one member appointed by the President of the Senate; and (3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly.
c. The term of office of appointed members, except for the first appointed members made under P.L.2010, c.104, shall be for five years. Each member shall serve until the member's successor shall have been appointed and qualified and vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term.
d. The members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for their actual expenses in performing their duties.
e. The board shall hold public meetings at such places within the State as it shall designate at least once quarterly and at such other times as in its judgment may be necessary. A public meeting of the board held in a building owned by State shall be broadcast live on the board's Internet website as an audio or video transmission provided that the building where the board is meeting is equipped with the necessary technology to broadcast the meeting live on the Internet as an audio or video transmission. The board shall maintain an electronic archive of the audio recordings of all meetings of the board held in a building owned by State where the building is equipped with the necessary technology to make an audio recording of the meeting, and the board shall make those archived audio recordings available to the public through its Internet website.
f. The board shall organize annually by the election of a chair and vice-chair, and such other officers as the board shall determine. Officers shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. Vacancies in such offices shall be filled in the same manner for the unexpired term only.
g. The chair shall appoint a secretary of the board who shall have custody of its official seal. The chair may designate an employee of the authority to perform such duties of the secretary and such other services as the board shall designate.
(cf: P.L.2010, c.104, s.13)
2. This act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a public meeting held by the Board of Public Utilities (board) in a building owned by State is to be broadcast live on the board's Internet website as an audio or video transmission provided that the building where the board is meeting is equipped with the necessary technology to broadcast the meeting live on the Internet as an audio or video transmission. The board is to maintain an electronic archive of the audio recordings of all meetings of the board held in a building owned by State where the building is equipped with the necessary technology to make an audio recording of the meeting, and the board is to make those archived audio recordings available to the public through its Internet website.
