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29 Jun: Weinberg-Van Drew Bills To Improve Government Transparency, Accessibility Approved In Senate

TRENTON – Two bills sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Jeff Van Drew to increase government transparency and access in New Jersey by reducing copy fees for open public records requests and other government documents and requiring public reports and publications produced by the State be made available primarily on the Internet were approved by the Senate yesterday.

“Without the opportunity for public scrutiny, we’ve seen time and time again that government runs amok,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen, and a long-time advocate for more openness in New Jersey government. “The lack of transparency and openness breeds corruption, waste, fraud and abuse of the taxpayer’s trust in their elected officials. These bills would make it a little easier for taxpayers to get information regarding their government and monitor public spending.”

21 Jun: Weinberg-Van Drew Bill To Improve Government Transparency, Accessibility Approved

TRENTON – Two bills sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Jeff Van Drew to increase government transparency and access in New Jersey by reducing copy fees for open public records requests and other government documents and requiring public reports and publications produced by the State be made available primarily on the Internet were approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

“Any government which acts outside the light of public scrutiny is vulnerable to spiral into corruption, despotism and tyranny,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen, and a long-time advocate for more openness in New Jersey government. “Public scrutiny is the great disinfectant which preserves the will of the people over the corrupting influences of greed and arrogance which seem to be standard in every case of official misconduct brought to trial in New Jersey and throughout the country. These bills would go a long way to make government more accessible, more transparent, and hopefully, more honest.”

21 Dec: Lesniak Wants to Abolish Death Penalty in New Jersey

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, the prime sponsor of a bill to abolish the death penalty in New Jersey, said he hopes to get the measure posted for a vote in the near future.

“I am looking forward to moving my legislation to abolish the death penalty and to replace it with a penalty of life imprisonment without parole,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union.