State of New Jersey
Executive Order #11

Governor Brendan Byrne


WHEREAS, Chapter 73, P. L. 1963, finds and declares it to be the public policy of this State that public records shall be readily accessible for examination by the citizens of this State for the protection of the public interest except as otherwise provided by said law; and

WHEREAS, Said Chapter 73 provides that all records which are required by law to be made, maintained or kept on file by State and local governmental agencies are to be deemed to be public records, subject to inspection and examination and available for copying, pursuant to said law; and

WHEREAS, Said Chapter 73 provides that records which would otherwise be deemed to be public records, subject to inspection and examination and available for copying, pursuant to the pro visions of said law, may be excluded therefrom by Executive Order of the Governor or by any regulation promulgated under the authority of any Executive Order of the Governor; and

WHEREAS, Section 3(b) of 9 issued by Governor Richard J. Hughes in 1963, states that "personnel and pension records which are required to be made, maintained or kept by any State or local governmental agency . . . shall not be deemed to be public records subject to inspection and examination and available for copying pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 73, P. L. 1963;" and

WHEREAS, Disclosure of the name, title and position of persons receiving pensions and of the type and amount of pension being received, is an insignificant invasion of privacy outweighed by the public's right to know who it is employing, what jobs they are filling and the identities of those receiving government pen sions;

Now, Therefore, I, Brendan Byrne, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT

  1. Section 3 (b) of 9 of Governor Richard J. Hughes is rescinded and any regulations adopted and promulgated thereunder shall be null and void.

  2. Except as otherwise provided by law or when essential to the performance of official duties or when authorized by a person in interest, an instrumentality of government shall not disclose to anyone other than a person duly authorized by this State or the United States to inspect such information in connection with his official duties, personnel or pension records of an individual, except that the following shall be public

    1. An individual's name, title, position, salary, payroll record, length of service in the instrumentality of government and in the government, date of separation from government service and the reason therefor; and the amount and type of pension he is receiving;

    2. Data contained in information which disclose conformity with specific experiential, educational or medical qualifications required for government employment or for receipt of a public pension, but in no event shall detailed medical or psychological information be released.


  3. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Given, under my hand and seal this 15th day of November, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-four, of the Independence of the United States, the one hundred and ninety- ninth.

/s/ Brendan Byrne
GOVERNOR

Attest:
/s/ Donald Lan,
Executive Secretary to the Governor