On February 22, 2021, Governor Murphy signed three expansive pieces of legislation that create the framework for the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis in the State.  The new law creates a laundry list of action items that must be addressed by municipal governing bodies within specified time frames.

The New Jersey Appellate Division issued a decision on January 12, 2021, in the matter of Chris Doe v. Rutgers University, which offers some clarity to the obligation of school districts to respond to certain Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) requests for student records.

In the wake of nationwide protests stemming from the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent calls across the country to both defund police departments and reform their practices, access to real time information regarding police activities has rapidly gained momentum.

We keep hearing that 5G networks are coming to municipalities as necessary to the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) and as a significant improvement to our past mobile networks.

In a shift from past opinions, a recent Appellate Division decision provides municipalities and their police departments’ protection from Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) litigation for certain records produced by police officers but ultimately maintained by the judiciary through an electronic system.

Recently, we became pioneers in the realm of a virtual trial. Our litigation was on a fast track -- it involved affordable housing and a challenge to a zoning ordinance. 

With new amendments to the Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”) signed into law last month, New Jersey became the third state in the country to prohibit discrimination against a person’s hair style. 

The New Jersey legislature is getting serious about electric vehicles. On November 6, 2019, it passed S-606 (formerly A-1371) encouraging municipalities to begin planning for expanded electric vehicle ("EV") infrastructure across the state.

The unauthorized use of “dirty dirt” as fill in sites across New Jersey has long been an issue facing municipalities. In October 2019, DEP launched the "Guard Your Backyard" initiative specifically aimed at curbing the dumping of tainted fill in New Jersey communities.

On August 9, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy Assembly Bill A-2004, (the "Bill"), which now permits municipalities in New Jersey to pay non-residential property tax appeal refunds over a period of three years.