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Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, a one on one with Craig K. on his decision to pull the controversial open public records act reform bill.

>> It is clear there is work to be done and we will take the time we need.

Briana: Plus, we are just days away from U.S. Senate candidate Andy Kim's court hearing on challenges to the state election ballot design.

Dozens of current and former female lawmakers call to abolish the party line.

>> I have seen the ways that the system really prevents and creates a glass ceiling for women to move ahead.

Briana: Also, calls for a criminal investigation by Congressman Jeff Van Drew.

After touring what some say is a deplorable housing complex in Atlantic City.

>> We have to be together shoulder to shoulder, saying we are not going to put up with it.

Briana: And doctors to be.

New Jersey's medical students celebrate match day.

Unveiling the first day on their journey to becoming physicians.

>> Had to pinch myself, to think all the hard work came to this day and I'm going to be a doctor and care for communities that look like mine, it's amazing.

Briana: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ >> From NJ PBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us this Friday night.

The bill to overhaul the state's open Public records act is dead for now after intense outcry from the public, lawyers, watchdog groups and journalists, lawmakers pulled the fast tracked legislation on Thursday just an hour before it was scheduled to go for a committee vote.

Democratic leaders are instead sending the bill back for amendments.

They heard hours of testimony from critics who warned the so-called reforms what got government transparency by limiting access to things like e-mail and call logs and even digital calendars of public agencies and officials.

Items that have been used to uncover scandals like bridgegate, to name one.

They argue they are being inundated with requests, and the current law does not keep up with the digital age.

So, where does the bill go from here?

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan reports.

Reporter: Chants and cheers greeted news at a fast bill to reform Jersey's open Public records act or OPRA had gotten temporarily derailed Thursday, yanked off the agenda after furious protests.

The chair agreed.

>> I spent time this week relaying your concerns on this bill.

Many concerns that I personally share.

Reporter: Opponents of use type Democrats of trying to ram through the measure they claim what essentially -- would essentially got OPRA and cripple the request for government records.

"I am inspired so many people have taken an interest and engaged in this legislation.

Right now we are working on various amendments to ensure we get the bill right."

Senator Andrew s. agrees.

>> Both sides were at a point where people were mostly just yelling at each other and no longer having conversations about what we can do to make sure that this is a bill that actually modernizes OPRA.

Reporter: He says modern technologies outrun the old law, raising privacy concerns, but the new measure would bar OPRA access to lobs of public official emails and phone calls and require specific names and e-mail exchanges -- in e-mail exchanges.

Complicating requests.

More so it would make reforms retroactive, killing appeals that don't comply.

That is a nonstarter.

>> Any time there is a proposal to do something retroactively, there's always a case in front of the courts or something going on that it causes a real issue.

>> When OPRA was signed into law, we did not have identity theft like we had today.

-- like we have today.

The data mining we have today.

Reporter: The league of Minister pellet is lobbied lawmakers for years, over privacy and cost concerns.

>> Individual towns are reaching out to the legislators with the impact it has had on their communities.

>> We do not have statistics or numbers that support.

The abusive OPRA -- The abuse of OPRA is stemming up the wheels of government.

Reporter: Complying with OPRA does take time and money, but they say the answer lies in digital upgrade to government record-keeping, not added restrictions.

And it will bitterly fight a new provision that could make folks who file OPRA requests pay legal fees if they end up in court.

>> It is really a disservice to the residents of New Jersey, especially folks who are lower to middle income that do not have the $300 for filing fees in the court.

Reporter: What happens next, they are pushing for fast action, stating "I look forward to further developing the proposals by having everyone involved work together in the weeks ahead before the budget process gets fully engaged in early April."

But Mark Pfeiffer advises lawmakers take it easy.

>> This could take a year, a year and a half to dig into this and come up with a solution that will last another 20 or 25 years.

You are doing really well.

Reporter: But the heat is on this issue and it is not likely to get back burnered Furlong.

-- for long.

Briana: Minutes after the bill was pulled, and -- Craig K. issued a statement promising to meet with the stakeholders and work together in updating the legislation.

Government groups say that might not be enough.

Many are calling for an OPRA study commission to get it right.

It would be a group composed of mayors, municipal clerks, and members of the media and open government advocates among others all to figure out how the law should fulfill its need.

Some 100 Minister pellet is on board with the idea, but are legislative leaders?

Let's ask one.

I'm joined by assembly Speaker Craig K. Thanks for your time.

Let me ask you about the statement you put out on the OPRA bill saying you in your chamber will take the time needed to look at these reforms, what is that timeline -- what does that timeline look like for you?

Would you support pulling this bill entirely to allow for a study commission?

>> Well, I think the statement says exactly what we mean.

I don't have a timeline for doing this.

Here's what has happened.

We put the bill and committee, as is the process for all bills that we consider.

The purpose of doing it is to gather input from citizens.

Anyone in the state can come in and talk about what they think about any piece of legislation.

It was reported widely this was being rushed and things like that.

I had never committed to a timeframe for doing this.

People had come in and it was favorable and we were able to do it, we probably would've passed it.

But it's clear that there is some work to be done.

And we are going to take the time that we need.

I think the notion of a study commission is not necessary.

We have two legislative committees that are undertaking this bill and have taken testimony.

I'm not really sure what else a study commission would do.

That is what we do as legislators.

Briana: Your counterpart on this bill said that he would like to see this get done by April of course, before all of the budget negotiations really get down in earnest.

Are you aligned with that?

You said you never committed to a timeline.

>> I think the senator -- Let me commend them for the work they have done to try to modernize this.

Which is something that everyone agrees with.

So, the truth of the matter is, I think if we can get this done, in April, that would make an awful lot of sense.

Briana: Mr. Speaker, he would not consider that a fast tracked pace -- you would not consider that a fast tracked pace?

>> The notion of the bill has been around for quite some time, now well over a month before we vote on it.

What the right time is is sort of alchemy.

There is no specific notion.

Most importantly -- What is most important is we get it right for now, not commit to a timeframe.

Every session will offer an opportunity to get things done, and we should look at it in terms of being able to get this done.

Briana: What parts of the bill, Mr. Speaker, do you think need to be changed, and are there items like email logs and call logs that you might consider not changing?

>> Look, what we need to do is, we have been working on some amendments over the last several days, I'm going to take a look at what's been developed.

I think on some of those items you talked about, like fee shipping, I am open to looking at the language in there.

Judges have an awful lot of discretion right now in the law as it exists.

AHow we need -- And how we need to address that is something we need to look at.

But logs and things like that is something we want to make sure we get right.

Briana: Fair enough.

Thank you so much for your time.

>> Thanks so much.

Nice to see you again.

Briana: We are nearing the end of a hectic month of County party nominating conventions, with the candidates for U.S. Senate primary securing endorsements up and down the state.

Last night was another landslide victory for GOP contender Curtis B. easily winning the Middlesex convention with 67% of the vote, making him the front runner in the GOP race.

First Lady Tammy Murphy also locked in a win with Middlesex County Democrats who voted by a show of hands to give her the organizational line over rival Congressman Andy Kim.

Both the process of how county committees vote and what is known as the party line on ballots have garnered national attention this year.

Because of the hotly contested race to replace embattled senior Senator Bob Menendez.

This week, a coalition of 40 female elected officials and former candidates issued a letter calling to abolish the line.

A system many argue gives party backed candidates an advantage.

Among them, two former lawmakers including former Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer, who joins me now.

Thanks so much for joining me on the show.

Let me ask you, aside from the obvious the letter is calling for the line to be abolished, what specifically are you saying about the challenges it creates for candidates and why round up this pretty long list of past and current elected officials?

>> Well, you know, I think for myself and a lot of women who go into politics, we do it because we want to represent the needs of our diverse communities, but certainly of women in our state.

In my time, I've seen the way -- the ways that this system really prevents and creates a glass ceiling for women to move ahead.

There might be some representation.

We are at around a third of the legislation.

-- a third of the legislature.

When it comes to state and local government, it is even lower.

In terms of getting through leadership roles, those somehow seem to keep eluding women.

As I was reflecting on my experience and starting to talk about it a bit more, and with so much attention being drawn to the line, and I think maybe even some hope that we might be able to get rid of the system and have a fair ballot -- I think in any political system, if you are with a political party, you would face some pressures or some opinions from others in your party or others in this political universe.

But those people don't usually control the ballot.

Briana: Are there examples that come to mind where you had a bill you were ready to vote a certain way on but the pressure of the party influenced that?

>> Yeah.

Two of the big pieces of legislation I was opposed to last year were the election transparency act, which doubled the contribution limits for campaigns, and I spoke about it, but as much as some of my colleagues might have thought that, yeah, we don't need more money in politics, this was something that was a priority for a lot of people.

And so, it did go through.

Similarly, I had a lot of critiques of the Stay in J program, that it gave the biggest benefits are wealthy, -- benefits to the wealthy, older property owners.

Briana: Leroy Jones wrote an op-ed this week calling for a uniform ballot.

Where do you stand on that and would that solve the problems we just talked about?

>> I think there's a lot of work that the party could and should have done a long time ago.

I only knew my context, which is that we do have a convention, whatever the critics of the -- critiques of the convention might be, to figure out our endorsed candidates in my county but other counties don't even have a convention or the votes are only advisory and the chair makes the unilateral decision on who to endorse.

That is a problem within the party.

I think that if we are going to have a fair primary, we should start this year, instead of pushing it to the legislature which I am very skeptical would be able to make this change.

Because everyone who puts them on the line doesn't want to see change because it takes away from their power.

Briana: Former Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer.

Thanks so much.

Appreciate your time.

We are continuing our coverage tonight on a troubled public housing complex in Atlantic City.

Congressman Jeff Van Drew today met with the residents of Stanley Holmes village, where they sued over two years ago over the lack of heat, hot water and other poor living conditions.

A situation they say has yet to be resolved, and for some, has only gotten worse.

Van Drew's visit comes after he asked HUD, the federal Department of Housing and urban development for a limited takeover, but the head of the agency abruptly stepped down.

Ted Goldberg reports.

>> We have to be together shoulder to shoulder, saying we are not going to put up with it.

Reporter: Congressman Jeff Van Drew is stepping up his involvement in the battle over poor living conditions at Stanley Holmes village.

The second district represented is calling for the Inspector General of HUD to investigate the Atlantic City Housing Authority.

ACHA.

They manage Stanley Holmes village, where residents have long complained about problems with heat, gas, and mice.

>> People are paying taxes.

They deserve to know that nobody minds taking care of older folks like this lady or folks that need help.

But it's got to go help them.

We don't know where it's going.

And we know that everything is going sideways.

>> I have no heat, no hot water, and it's been months.

It's cold.

>> No heat and no hot water this morning.

We have none.

>> One at a time, please.

Go ahead.

>> What are we supposed to do?

It's getting ridiculous.

People have to go to work.

Nobody wants to keep carrying hot water upstairs.

Reporter: Stanley Holmes is the state's oldest public housing complex.

More than 100 residents are suing the ACHA over living conditions.

They say money has been wasted on bad contracting work and other problems have been ignored.

>> We all have certain rights.

This is the 21st century.

And to hear what is going on in this housing complex, it's just wrong.

It disgusts me and it makes me angry.

Reporter: Even members of the ACHA chimed in.

A board member who lives in a property managed by the hCSA -- by the ACHA says the rest of the board has been disrespectful in their dealings with residents and communication has been inconsistent at best.

>> They always look at us like being mad and angry or we are being combative.

But they don't understand what we are living through because none of them on the Commissioner board live there.

>> This isn't a Republican issue.

It's not a Democrat issue.

It's not a political issue.

It is a human issue.

>> What part is going to be torn down and what's not?

You know, are we going to still have a home?

>> This stuff doesn't need to be torn down and we do need new housing.

It needs to be seamless.

Reporter: The Board applied to have Stanley Holmes demolished in November about four months later the residents say they don't know if that means they will need to look for a new home.

Residents tell me they spoke to Secretary Marcia Fudge but they did not hear back.

Secretary fudge announced earlier this week she would resign a week from today.

>> She just wasn't doing the job for us.

We contacted them.

We finally got the audit done.

When we sent this isn't enough, we can't wait another six months, then another six months.

Reporter: Van drew says a criminal investigation into the ACHA could be help for residents.

If not, he says Congress can help, passing laws for housing authorities.

>> More accountability.

It's really obvious when you see what happened in New York City after the Inspector General worked there.

Think about it, 70 some people were in on it.

70 some people getting money in their pockets they shouldn't have.

Reporter: Later this month, Stanley Village residents plan on taking a bus to Washington to tell more people about their issues.

We reached out to the ACHA for comment but did not hear back.

In Atlantic City, I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, New Jersey is one step closer to making Governor Murphy's clean energy goals law.

Thursday, legislators moved three major climate bills headlined by a bill that would speed up New Jersey's transition to 100% clean energy by 2035.

Lawmakers tweaked the bill to prevent trash incinerators from counting as clean energy, that is a move environmental justice advocates have long-sought.

Another bill would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to update the state's aging electrical grid.

The final bill would propose amending the state constitution to enshrine residents' rights to clean air and water.

The so-called green amendment would ultimately be decided by New Jersey voters.

The approvals come after months of debate.

While the grid modernization bill has wide backing, the other two remain contentious.

Turning to Wall Street, stocks edged lower today, setting up the markets for a weekly loss.

Here's how the trading numbers landed for the week.

♪ >> Support for the business report, provided by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

Announcing its New Jersey Summit and Expo for business March 26th and 27th in Atlantic City.

Event details online at NJchamber.com.

Briana: Make sure to tune into NJ business beat with Raven Santana this weekend.

She marks women's history month by assessing the health of women owned businesses in New Jersey and how this generation of women are paving the way for new entrepreneurs.

Watch it Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. on NJ PBS.

♪ May I have the envelope, please?

Those words hold a special meaning for the roughly 100 senior medical students from Hackensack Meridian school of medicine, who are celebrating match day, where they will begin their residency.

Today, inside MetLife Stadium, the eager doctors to be opened their sealed envelopes, revealing the start of their new careers inside.

Melissa Rose Cooper has the story.

Reporter: Exciting moments, as Nicholas C. and his family got ready to celebrate the next big chapter of his medical career.

>> I am very fortunate that on Monday I received the notification that I did match in to orthopedic surgery.

-- into orthopedic surgery.

Now today I'm looking forward to finding out where I will be spending the next five years.

>> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Congratulations!

[Applause] Reporter: And with the strike of a gong, the big moment he had been waiting all day to find out was finally here.

>> There is no place I would rather be but my number one!

HUFC!

Let's go!

Reporter: He is one of roughly 100 seniors at Hackensack Meridian school of medicine overcome with joy at this year's match day.

Students attending the ceremony inside MetLife Stadium, finding out for the first time where they will be spending the residencies after graduating.

-- their residencies after graduating.

The schools, revealed once these black envelopes are open.

>> The combination is all these hours of studying, test taking, all that experience you committed and through the human dimension, all through the full run of your clerkships, clinical work, now coming together here to bring you to the start of this great career ahead of you.

Reporter: The school of medicine Dean, commending the students with their ability to tackle special challenges, especially having started their medical school journey during the pandemic.

>> It only spurred you on to study more.

To work harder.

To try to connect with each other in different ways.

>> I always wanted to be a doctor.

My mom has stories of me telling her I will be a doctor one day and take care of her.

Ever since I was a little girl.

Reporter: Now her mother is seeing her daughter's dream getting one step closer to reality right before her eyes.

>> I had to pinch myself to think that all the hard work came to this day and I am going to be a doctor and I'm going to care for communities that look like mine.

Reporter: About 50% of the students will be placed at Hackensack Meridian schools.

>> I know you will help us live our mission, to transform health care and be leaders of positive change.

There is no question in my mind you will make a difference in practicing medicine in our state and you will make a big difference at our hospitals.

Reporter: CEO Bob Garrett, tell -- telling the students he is optimistic about the future despite dealing with a fragmented health care system as well as a shortage of nurses and physicians.

>> When we started this medical school a few years ago, the idea behind it was that the only way we could really transform health care and have a bright future for health care is to start at the beginning, and that was to reinvent medical education and I think we have done that with all your help at the Hackensack Meridian school of medicine.

Reporter: And now the students know where they have been matched for their residencies.

They have one more big event to look forward to before starting their programs, Graduation day, in June.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Melissa Rose Cooper.

Briana: That's going to do it for us, but make sure to tune into reporter's roundtable this weekend.

David Cruz talks with gubernatorial candidate and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop.

Then a panel of reporters break down this week's political headlines.

Watch it Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. on PBS.

Then on checkbox -- chatbox, David continues to conversation about changes to the open Public records act talking to more experts about the political, public, and journalistic implications of the bill Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. on NJ PBS.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire NJ Spotlight news team, thanks for being with us.

Enjoy the weekend.

We will be back on Monday.

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