The bill amends New Jersey's Daniels Law to enhance privacy protections for public officials, including members of the Legislature and municipal court administrators. It requires the establishment of a secure portal by the Director of the Office of Information Privacy (OIP) to allow individuals to prohibit the disclosure of their personal information by private entities. The bill introduces new definitions, such as "covered entity" and "covered information," and outlines the responsibilities of authorized persons who can request the redaction or nondisclosure of sensitive information. Additionally, it imposes civil penalties for non-compliance, including a $200 fine for each 45-day period a covered entity fails to access the portal.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies the roles of custodians of government records in relation to public access and the redaction of sensitive information. It mandates that custodians assist requestors in locating records and provides guidelines for fees associated with obtaining copies of government records, ensuring that victims of crime are not charged. The legislation aims to balance public access to government records with the need to protect sensitive personal information, particularly for individuals in sensitive positions such as law enforcement and judicial roles. Overall, the bill strengthens privacy rights and establishes clearer guidelines for compliance and accountability among public agencies and covered entities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:20-31.1, 47:1A-1.1, 47:1A-5, 47:1B-1, 47:1B-2, 56:8-166.1, 56:8-166.3, 56:8-166.13, 56:8-166.15