New Jersey Statutes 52:15C-14. Full assistance, cooperation with State Comptroller, access to government records
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 52:15C-14
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
b. The State Comptroller shall have complete access to all “government records” of “public agencies,” as those terms are defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1995, c.23 (C. 47:1A-1.1), including all information listed as confidential and specifically excluded as a “government record,” in section 1 of P.L.1995, c.23 (C. 47:1A-1.1). Provided however, that any information listed as confidential and specifically excluded as a “government record,” in that section, to which the State Comptroller shall have access, shall directly relate to a program or expenditure that is the subject of an audit, performance review or contract review by the State Comptroller, and provided further that if a public agency provides the State Comptroller with access to information that is subject to a confidentiality agreement, the public agency shall promptly notify the parties to the agreement that the information is being provided to the State Comptroller.
c. Whenever a person requests access to a government record that the State Comptroller or the State Inspector General, during the course of an audit, investigation, performance review or contract review obtained from another public agency, which record was open for public inspection, examination or copying before the audit, investigation or review commenced, the public agency from which the State Comptroller or the State Inspector General obtained the record shall comply with the request if made pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.), provided that the request does not in any way identify the record sought by means of a reference to the State Comptroller’s audit or review or to an investigation by the State Inspector General or any other public agency, including, but not limited to, a reference to a subpoena issued pursuant to such investigation.
d. Private vendors or other persons contracting with or receiving funds from a unit in the Executive branch of State government, including an entity exercising executive branch authority, independent State authority, public institution of higher education, or unit of local government or board of education shall upon request by the State Comptroller provide the State Comptroller with prompt access to all relevant documents and information as a condition of the contract and receipt of public monies. The State Comptroller shall not disclose any document or information to which access is provided that is confidential or proprietary. If the State Comptroller finds that any person receiving funds from a unit in the Executive branch of State government, including an entity exercising executive branch authority, independent State authority, public institution of higher education, or unit of local government or board of education refuses to provide information upon the request of the State Comptroller, or otherwise impedes or fails to cooperate with any audit or performance review, the State Comptroller may recommend to the contracting unit that the person be subject to termination of their contract, or temporarily or permanently debarred from contracting with the contracting unit.
L.2007, c.52, s.14.