Special session on how to use OPRA held Oct. 1. A comprehensive learning session on how to use the New Jersey Open Public Records Act was given at Rutgers University on Monday evening, Oct. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. The session was held at the Rutgers Student Center on College Avenue, in Room 410. This session was free and open to the public. It was designed to help students, journalists and anyone interested in obtaining information from state or local government. The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) was signed into law in 2002. It allows anyone to look at or photocopy records of any state, county or local government agency. Federal records are covered by the Freedom of Information Act. Although citizens are entitled to this information, there may be forms to fill out or other information to provide in order to obtain a particular record. Ordinarily, access is granted right away for budgets, bills, vouchers, and minutes of meetings. Other records may take up to seven business days to provide. Beth Mason, pictured above, the president of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government, conducted the session and explained the process for those who want to find out how to obtain records. Mason is also a citizen activist and a councilwoman in Hoboken. The Foundation for Open Government is a non-profit organization which works to keep government open. The session included information on how to make an OPRA request and which records are available to the public. Some confidential information is not available to the public. She also discussed the role of the state Government Records Council which interprets and polices the OPRA process. The objective of OPRA is to make New Jersey’s various levels of government more transparent to the public and to help citizens and the press understand their government better. The session was co-sponsored by the following organizations: • Journalism Resources Institute • New Jersey Foundation for Open Government • Rutgers Department of Journalism and Media Studies • Rutgers Chapter — Society of Professional Journalists • New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists