§ 47:1A-7 — Government Records Council.

8. a. (1) There is established in the Department of Community Affairs a Government Records Council. The council shall consist of the Commissioner of Community Affairs or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve as Chair, and eight public members appointed as follows: four appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, no more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party; two directly appointed by the Governor from persons recommended by the President of the Senate, no more than one of whom shall be a member of the same political party; and two directly appointed by the Governor from persons recommended by the Speaker of the General Assembly, no more than one of whom shall be a member of the same political party. Each public member shall serve for a term of five years and until a successor is appointed and qualified. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, within 90 days following the enactment date of P.L.2024, c.16 (C.47:1A-5.1 et al.), the Governor shall directly appoint eight public members to the council, each of whom shall serve for a term of three years and until a successor is appointed and qualified, as follows: two from persons recommended by the President of the Senate, no more than one of whom shall be a member of the same political party; two from persons recommended by the Speaker of the General Assembly, no more than one of whom shall be a member of the same political party; and four appointed at the sole discretion of the Governor, no more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party. The terms of office of the members of the council serving on the date of enactment of P.L.2024, c.16 (C.47:1A-5.1 et al.), shall expire upon the Governor's direct appointment of the new members pursuant to this subsection. (3) A public member shall not hold any other State or local elected office while serving as a member of the council. A public member shall receive a salary equivalent to that provided by law for a public member of the Local Finance Board of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs. A member may be removed by the Governor for cause. Vacancies among the public members shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, according to the provisions of subsection a. of this section, and for the remainder of the unexpired term. The council may employ an executive director and such professional and clerical staff as it deems necessary and may call upon the Department of Community Affairs for such assistance as it deems necessary and may be available to it. b. The Government Records Council shall: establish an informal mediation program to facilitate the resolution of disputes regarding access to government records; receive, hear, review and adjudicate a complaint filed by any person concerning a denial of access to a government record by a records custodian; issue advisory opinions, on its own initiative, as to whether a particular type of record is a government record which is accessible to the public; prepare guidelines and an informational pamphlet for use by records custodians in complying with the law governing access to public records; prepare an informational pamphlet explaining the public's right of access to government records and the methods for resolving disputes regarding access, which records custodians shall make available to persons requesting access to a government record; prepare lists for use by records custodians of the types of records in the possession of public agencies which are government records; make training opportunities available for records custodians and other public officers and employees which explain the law governing access to public records; promulgate rules and regulations to establish a uniform government record request form for all government record requests permitted for use by any public agency that includes the required form components as set forth in subsection f. of section 6 of P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-5). The form shall include certification that a party to a legal proceeding may not request a government record if the record sought is the subject of a court order or a pending discovery request. The council shall make the form available electronically and in print and shall make the form available to incarcerated individuals; and operate an informational website and a toll-free helpline staffed by knowledgeable employees of the council during regular business hours which shall enable any person, including records custodians, to call for information regarding the law governing access to public records and allow any person to request mediation or to file a complaint with the council when access has been denied. In implementing the provisions of this section, the council shall: act, to the maximum extent possible, at the convenience of the parties; utilize video conferencing, teleconferencing, faxing of documents, e-mail and similar forms of modern communication; conduct virtual meetings and hearings when practical and at the discretion of the council; and when in-person meetings are necessary, send representatives to meet with the parties at a location convenient to the parties. The council shall periodically review the information and format of its website and make such adjustments as shall be deemed necessary to ensure that the information is clearly presented, accessible, and useful for the general public. The council shall conduct such an initial review within six months following the effective date of P.L.2024, c.16 (C.47:1A-5.1 et al.). c. At the request of the council, a public agency shall produce documents and ensure the attendance of witnesses with respect to the council's investigation of any complaint or the holding of any hearing. d. Upon receipt of a written complaint signed by any person alleging that a custodian of a government record has improperly denied that person access to a government record, the council shall offer the parties the opportunity to resolve the dispute through mediation. Mediation shall enable a person who has been denied access to a government record and the public agency that employs the records custodian who denied or failed to provide access thereto to attempt to mediate the dispute through a process whereby a neutral mediator, who shall be trained in mediation selected by the council, acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of the dispute. Mediation shall be an informal, nonadversarial process having the objective of helping the parties reach a mutually acceptable, voluntary agreement. The mediator shall assist the parties in identifying issues, foster joint problem solving, and explore settlement alternatives. e. If any party declines mediation or if mediation fails to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of all parties, the council shall initiate an investigation concerning the facts and circumstances set forth in the complaint. The council shall make a determination as to whether the complaint is within its jurisdiction or frivolous or without any reasonable factual basis. The council may assign staff attorneys to conduct the investigation, present findings, and make recommendations to the council. If the council shall conclude that the complaint is outside its jurisdiction, frivolous, or without factual basis, it shall reduce that conclusion to writing and transmit a copy thereof to the complainant and to the public agency that employs the records custodian against whom the complaint was filed. Otherwise, the council shall notify the public agency that employs the records custodian against whom the complaint was filed of the nature of the complaint and the facts and circumstances set forth therein. The public agency that employs the records custodian shall have the opportunity to present the board with any statement or information concerning the complaint which the agency wishes. If the council is able to make a determination as to a record's accessibility based upon the complaint and the agency's response thereto, it shall reduce that conclusion to writing and transmit a copy thereof to the complainant and to the public agency that employs the records custodian against whom the complaint was filed. If the council is unable to make a determination as to a record's accessibility based upon the complaint and the agency's response thereto, the council shall conduct a hearing on the matter in conformity with the rules and regulations provided for hearings by a State agency in contested cases under the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), insofar as they may be applicable and practicable. The council shall, by a majority vote of its members, render a decision as to whether the record which is the subject of the complaint is a government record which must be made available for public access pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) as amended and supplemented. If the council determines, by a majority vote of its members, that a custodian is found to have knowingly and willfully violated P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, and to have unreasonably denied access under the totality of the circumstances, the council may impose the penalties provided for in section 12 of P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-11) on the public agency that employs the custodian. A decision of the council may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court. Such appeals shall be filed within 45 days from the date the council renders a decision. A decision of the council shall not have value as a precedent for any case initiated in Superior Court pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-6). All proceedings of the council pursuant to this subsection shall be conducted as expeditiously as possible. Beginning 18 months following the effective date of P.L.2024, c.16 (C.47:1A-5.1 et al.), the council shall adjudicate all complaints that come before it within 90 days of the complaint's filing, with the ability to extend for 45 days for good cause, exclusive of any time period during which the parties are engaged in a mediation process pursuant to this section. The council shall make such organizational adjustments and modify its procedures as it deems necessary to ensure that complaints are adjudicated in such a timeframe. f. The council shall not charge any party a fee in regard to actions filed with the council. The council shall be subject to the provisions of the "Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6), except that the council may go into closed session during that portion of any proceeding during which the contents of a contested record would be disclosed. A requestor who prevails in any proceeding may be entitled to a reasonable attorney's fee as provided for in section 7 of P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-6). g. The council shall not have jurisdiction over the Judicial or Legislative Branches of State Government or any agency, officer, or employee of those branches. h. The Superior Court shall provide the Government Records Council a list of all actions which have been brought before the courts filed pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), commonly known as the open public records act, which have been settled by the parties thereto. Such a list shall provide the docket number and names of the parties to the action. The council shall compile a database comprised of the data provided by the Superior Court. The Administrative Office of the Courts, on behalf of the Superior Court of New Jersey, shall provide the Government Records Council a report at the end of each court year of all cases filed pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.). The report shall be grouped by defendant and county filed in and shall include a comprehensive list of all cases filed with a summary judgment regarding P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), Statewide, itemized by the following factors: (1) Case caption; (2) County of venue; (3) Docket number; (4) Counsel of records; (5) Case disposition; and (6) Attorney's fees requested and awarded. L.2001,c.404,s.8; amended 2024, c.16, s.4.