Due to Daniels Law and at the request of “covered persons” within the Township of Verona who may have been listed on past agendas and minutes the Township has removed all agendas and minutes from its website to comply with Daniels Law. If you need a copy of agendas/minutes, please file an OPRA request so that the Records Custodian of the Township can review the requested document and redact information as necessary prior to its release. As the law evolves and if any amendments are made the Township of Verona can make changes with how the public can access Township documents online. At this time, we have “covered persons” approved and they have requested the Township honor their requests prior to the law taking effect on January 13, 2023.

On November 20, 2020, Governor Murphy signed Daniel's Law (P.L. 2020, c.125) into law, which prohibits the disclosure of certain personal information of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and their family members.

Individuals covered under the law may register through the Daniel's Law Portal, which was recently established by the Office of Information Privacy, an agency created within the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to carry out the mandate of Daniel’s Law.

Background behind Daniels Law:

Daniel’s Law was enacted to protect judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel from being targets of disgruntled individuals. These civil servants enforce our laws and protect and serve the citizens of the Township of Verona and the State of New Jersey.

Daniel Anderl, the 20-year-old son of Federal Court Judge Esther Salas and his father, Mark Anderl were gunned down when Daniel answered the front door of his parents' home. The perpetrator was disguised as a delivery person. It is believed that the intended target was Judge Salas. All efforts were made to save the lives of both Daniel and his father, but young Daniel died as a result of his injuries. The father barely survived having been shot several times.

After this senseless attack, Judge Salas publicly called upon those in power to do something to protect her brothers and sisters on the bench. This was the impetus behind the enactment of Daniel’s Law. The law creates a “protected class” of persons by prohibiting the home address and phone numbers belonging to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement from being posted online. The law also includes and protects all the immediate family members residing in the home of the “protected person.”

Governor Murphy has also expanded the law to include language which states that if you knowingly and purposefully place the address and personal information on websites and other search engines, you may be both criminally and personally liable. 

When does the amended Daniel’s Law become effective?

The new law became effective immediately on January 12, 2022 and is retroactive to December 10, 2021. However, compliance with provisions of Daniel’s Law and the recent amendments are required as of January 13, 2023.  Local governments are authorized to honor requests for redaction or nondisclosure, or revocation thereof, submitted by an authorized person prior to the require compliance date.