The bill amends New Jersey's Daniels Law to enhance privacy protections for public officials, specifically including members of the Legislature and municipal court administrators. It mandates 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 procedures for verifying requests for redaction or nondisclosure. It also establishes fees for covered entities to access the portal and requires the maintenance of independent registries of covered information. Civil penalties are introduced for noncompliance with the established procedures.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the responsibilities of covered entities, requiring them to check the secure portal every 45 days for approved requests and certify compliance. Failure to comply will result in a civil penalty of $200 for each 45-day period of non-compliance, with a notice and opportunity to cure the violation before enforcement actions are taken. The legislation aims to strengthen privacy rights for individuals in sensitive positions by providing clearer guidelines and enforcement mechanisms while ensuring that necessary information remains accessible for legitimate governmental functions.

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