it was a blockbuster day in Trenton while the covid review report was being unveiled in one part of the state house two legislative committees were meeting in another taking up a controversial Bill proposing to overhaul New Jersey's open public records act the law that allows residents journalists and anyone interested to access public documents critics warn the fast-tracked bill will gut transparency in government in a state known for corruption while its backers say the reforms are needed to help towns that get hit with onslaughts of requests senior political correspondent David Cruz reports it was a packed house on a busy day for the Senate budget committee a Monday morning which saw the committee releasing bills on funding the transportation trust fund and reforming the affordable housing program but the hot topic was a bill from chairman Paul sarlo that makes big changes to Oprah the open public records Act so is that a good way to start members we good we're good okay the bill which had social media buzzing all weekend was heard in an assembly committee at the same time and Drew rebukes from groups like The New Jersey press Association the ACLU and others despite waiting four hours almost everyone who testified was singing from the same Himel oh is there going to push it right through I mean that's the whole plan here right you put this out in no time you push it right through the Committees two at the same day and then you schedule it for a few days later and try and shove it all through before anybody sees what you're doing the very definition of Oprah is to open up public records for the public there is absolutely nothing in this bill that makes it easier for the public to access those records everything it does it increases incentives to deny records it shifts fees so that it's more expensive for the public and advocates to access these records it eliminates certain kinds of Records uh from the provision at all this is not just about government transparency Oprah is about quality public education the environment and a whole host of other issues that we are able to look into because we have access to public records so really what the legislature is doing here is frankly threatening threatening all aspects of our democracy and it's just not right sarlo who's also the mayor of Woodridge and groups like The League of municip ities say the current law allows for onerous requests that tie up Municipal clerks with commercially focused requests IT addresses a number of issues I'll tell you what that bill this bill does not do it does not infringe on transparency it doesn't block public records it's simply not in the bill and I think as the bill gets vetted more people will come to realize that that's that in this room for sure is a minority view I mean uh a lot of stuff that was available before won't be available now certain emails drafts Etc well it's certain elements of of the log and and other elements but public records if if if if a journalist want wants a copy of a a contract they're going to get the contract it's a problem uh the present system has the resources of Town's strain trying to respond to many of these entities that make hundreds of requests uh that's a problem and by the way those folks or those entities squeeze out the legitimate residential requests so there's room here for reform I'm just not ready to vote on this reform right now your yes vote is not the most emphatic yes I've ever seen you cast well because uh the process has to continue you know through this hearing today and through a lot of correspondents there there appears to be more work to be done uh to reach to reach something that everyone is reasonably satisfied with the bill has been on a fast track clearing both committees today and barring any last minute intervention could see a vote in both Chambers on Thursday I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight news