Establishes the "secure our data act"

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rebecca Seawright and 1 co-sponsor

PVSC must keep all meeting minutes and send them to Governor; actions cannot take effect until 15 days after delivery unless the Governor approves, with veto nullifying actions.

REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Summary of Bill A 5739 — "Secure Our Data Act" (Introduced Version)

Note: The introduced text for this bill focuses on the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners and minutes oversight, not on data security provisions. The bill is titled the "secure our data act," but the introduced version establishes procedural requirements for minutes of PVSC meetings and governor review.

What the bill would do (main purpose)

Establish a formal requirement for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners to maintain and submit minutes of all meetings and public hearings to the Governor for review and possible approval.

Tie the effectiveness of any action taken at a meeting or public hearing to the governor’s review of the minutes, ensuring actions are not final until minutes are provided and either approved or unambiguously allowed to take effect after a defined period.

Key provisions

Section 1a: The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners must keep minutes of all meetings and public hearings. No action may be taken unless the action occurs at a meeting or public hearing for which minutes have been provided.

Section 1b: A true copy of the minutes must be delivered to the Governor with certification. An action taken at the meeting cannot take effect until 15 days after minutes are delivered, unless the Governor approves the minutes (or part thereof) in writing sooner, in which case the action becomes effective upon approval. If the Governor vetoes any action within the 15-day window, the action is null and void. If the last day of the 15-day period is a weekend or legal holiday, the period extends to the next business day. The Governor’s review must respect the rights of bondholders; it does not alter existing covenants or the commissioners’ contractual obligations.

Section 1c: If the Governor has not notified the commissioners of a veto after the review period, the minutes and the corresponding action take effect.

Section 2: The act takes effect immediately.

Who is affected

Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners (responsible for maintaining and submitting minutes).

The Governor (reviewer and potential approver or veto authority).

Bondholders and related financial instruments of the commissioners (the bill explicitly notes respect for existing obligations and covenants during review).

Procedural and timeline aspects

Governor review window: 15 days from delivery of the minutes.

Compliance trigger: Actions cannot take effect until the 15-day window passes without veto; earlier effect is possible if the Governor approves sooner in writing.

Extension: If the 15th day falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the period extends to the next business day.

Immediate effectiveness: The act itself takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Legislative history and sponsorship

Introduced: June 12, 2025.

Status: Referred to Governmental Operations (with contemporaneous note of related committee referrals).

Sponsors: Michaelle C. Solages (primary); Rebecca Seawright (cosponsor).

Related bills/companions: S 4507 (companion), S 1961 (companion), and several prior-session related bills.

Takeaway

If enacted, A 5739 would add a formal, governor-reviewed minutes framework for PVSC actions, creating a public-records-driven, time-bound approval process intended to increase transparency and oversight over commissioner actions. The framework prioritizes timely documentation, Governor input, and protection of existing financial covenants while enabling actions to take effect after the defined review period.