new jersey privacy study commission by: catherine starghill, esq. privacy study commission, staff
TRANSCRIPT
NEW JERSEYNEW JERSEYPRIVACY STUDYPRIVACY STUDY
COMMISSIONCOMMISSION
By: Catherine Starghill, Esq.
Privacy Study Commission, Staff
Creation of the CommissionCreation of the Commission
The Privacy Study Commission was created under the Open Public Records Act (N.J.S. 47:1A-1 et seq.).
The Open Public Records ActThe Open Public Records Act
The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) defines the state’s policy that government records, with certain exceptions, should be readily accessible to the public for inspection, examination, and copying.
While limitations on the public’s right of access should be decided in the public’s favor, public agencies are required to keep a citizen’s personal information from public access when that access would violate the citizen’s reasonable expectation of privacy.
Creation of the CommissionCreation of the Commission
The Commission was established as a temporary body of 13 members – 9 appointed by the Governor and 4 appointed by the Legislature.
Commission MembersCommission Members
Appointments coordinated to provide a balance– Advocates for citizen privacy interests– Advocates for increased access to government
records
Commission MembersCommission Members
Larry Litwin, Chairman
Professor of Public Relations & Advertising at Rowan University
Thomas Cafferty
General Counsel of the NJ Press Association
George Cevasco
Municipal Clerk for the Township of Brick
Rosemary Karcher-Reavey
Former Superior Court Judge in Middlesex County
Commission MembersCommission Members
Jack McEntee
Detective with the Newark Police Department
Richard DeAngelis, Jr.
Attorney specializing in legislative and regulatory affairs
Pamela McCauley
Director of the Office of Victim-Witness Advocacy in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
Grayson Barber
Attorney specializing in privacy rights advocacy
Commission MembersCommission Members
Karen Sutcliffe
Attorney specializing in municipal law
John Hutchison
Research Director of the Senate Republican Office
H. Lawrence Wilson, Jr.
Retired Sergeant of Investigators in the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office
Commission Members Commission Members
Edithe A. Fulton
President of the NJ Education Association
William Kearns
General Counsel of the NJ League of Municipalities
Purpose of the CommissionPurpose of the Commission
Legislatively mandated to study the privacy issues raised by the collection, processing, use and dissemination of information by public agencies
Balance
– Need for openness in government – Concerns for personal privacy and security
Purpose of the CommissionPurpose of the Commission
Privacy questions:– What are the privacy issues raised by the way
government agencies collect, process, use and disseminate information?
– How is openness in government affected by privacy issues?
– How should we deal with these issues to safeguard the privacy rights of individuals?
Commission StructureCommission Structure
The Commission established the following subcommittees:– Public Interest– Data Practices in New Jersey – Data Practices in Other Jurisdictions– Commercial Use– Technology
SubcommitteesSubcommittees
Public Interest
– Consider the views of the public as individuals and groups representing various interests on the issue of how and where to strike a balance between openness and privacy
– Host public hearings throughout the State
SubcommitteesSubcommittees
Data Practices in New Jersey
– Develop an understanding of the types of personal data collected by public agencies in New Jersey
– Consider the methods used to collect data – Assess the data’s current and potential use – Contemplate the views of public administrators on the
data’s management
SubcommitteesSubcommittees
Data Practices in Other Jurisdictions
– Learn the strategies employed by other governments to safeguard the privacy rights of its citizens
– Benchmark other states with best practices in privacy protection – CA, CN, HI, FL, and IL
– Benchmark the U.S. and European Union
SubcommitteesSubcommittees
Commercial Use
– Identify and consider the commercial uses of government information, both positive and negative
(Positive Users – credit ratings agencies and employers)
(Negative Users – identify thieves)
SubcommitteesSubcommittees
Technology
– Examine how technology facilitates the collection of data
– Examine how data can be manipulated within government
– Examine how data is used when made available to the public
– Examine the effect on government data when it is combined with data from other sources (data mining)
Additional MandateAdditional Mandate
“… study the issue of whether and to what extent the home address and home telephone number of citizens should be made publicly available by public agencies …”
Separate subcommittee to address special directive
Result of Research - Result of Research -
Recommend specific measures
Better safeguard privacy rights of NJ citizens
Commission Meetings:Commission Meetings:
All meetings are held at 10:30 AM –
Department of Community Affairs–Conference Room 129
101 S. Broad Street (corner of Broad & Front Streets)
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
2003 Meeting Dates –
July 25, 2003 October 17, 2003
September 19, 2003 November 14, 2003
December 19, 2003
Public HearingsPublic Hearings
June 10, 2003 – 4:00 PM
Mercer County Community College (West Windsor)
Room: CM-110 Communications Building June 16, 2003 – 4:00 PM
Rowan University (Glassboro)
Student Center - Ballroom June 17, 2003 – 4:00 PM
Montclair State College (Upper Montclair)
Student Center - Ballroom
Contact Information:Contact Information:
The Privacy Study Commission may be contacted:
www.nj.gov/privacy