Bill > S4116

This bill amends existing New Jersey law, specifically the Open Public Meetings Act (often referred to as the "Sunshine Law"), to require that certain public bodies must allow for public participation during their meetings. Previously, public bodies had broad discretion to permit, prohibit, or regulate public involvement. Now, municipal governing bodies, boards of county commissioners (and entities created by them), and boards of education are mandated to set aside a specific portion of every meeting for public comment on any issue that residents may find concerning. The length of this public comment period will be determined by the respective entity itself. The bill clarifies that this requirement applies to "public bodies," which are governmental entities that conduct public business, and the "respective entity" refers to the specific type of public body being addressed in the amendment. The bill takes effect immediately upon its passage.