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Bill > A2953
NJ A2953
NJ A2953Requires municipal governing bodies and boards of education to provide sufficient time for all requested public comment at open public meetings.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill amends section 7 of the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.), to provide that a municipal governing body and a board of education shall be required to set aside a portion of every meeting sufficient to accommodate all requests for public comment, of not less than three minutes per speaker, on any governmental or school district issue that a member of the public feels may be of concern to the residents of the municipality or school district. Should the portion of the meeting dedicated to public comment exceed the scheduled length of the meeting itself, no vote shall be taken on the subject of the comment until the next meeting, at which time the public comment shall resume until all interested members of the public have had opportunity to comment on the subject.
AI Summary
This bill requires municipal governing bodies and boards of education to dedicate a portion of every meeting specifically for public comment, ensuring enough time is allocated to hear from everyone who wishes to speak on any issue they believe concerns local residents. Each speaker is guaranteed at least three minutes to voice their concerns. If the public comment period extends beyond the scheduled meeting time, any votes on the discussed topics will be postponed until the following meeting, at which point public comment will resume until all interested individuals have had a chance to speak. This amendment to the Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act aims to increase public participation and transparency in local government and school district decision-making.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A2953 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A3000/2953_I1.HTM |
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