2. a. No later than 90 days after the effective date of P.L.2021, c.96 (C. 48:2-10.1 et al.), the board shall establish, maintain, and update, as appropriate, an electronic public document search system, through the board’s Internet website, that shall allow users to obtain board proceeding documents and docket information online. The search system shall reflect all filings and comments made to the board, in electronic or in printed form, and shall provide for the managing and facilitating of public access to all filings, orders, notices, rulemakings, comments, or other board proceeding documents, as well as allow parties to electronically file these documents. The search system shall be subject to all of the following requirements:

(1) as soon as practicable, and not later than seven calendar days after a document is electronically filed with the board, the document shall be publicly accessible on the search system, unless a longer period of time is needed, as determined by the board, due to an emergency or to address confidentiality, other privacy claims, or digitization of non-electronic records;

(2) all documents on the search system shall be available to the public free of charge;

(3) any information within a document that is prohibited from public disclosure by law or board order shall be exempt from inclusion in the search system;

(4) all board-initiated documents shall be text-searchable and in a machine-readable format and the board shall encourage the filing of documents in text-searchable and machine-readable formats, which capabilities shall be preserved in the search system;

(5) to the extent practicable, external websites shall be able to link documents to the search system;

(6) the board shall provide access to all digital audio and visual files of board recordings when those files become available on its website, and shall explore the technical and financial practicality of including its recordings in the search system; and

(7) the search system shall provide a search function for public use.

b. In developing the search system, the board shall implement technology in order to improve security, data accessibility, affordability, and performance, and to minimize the burden on pro se litigants.

L.2021, c.96, s.2.