Authorizes municipality to deliver property tax bills, construction permits, and receipts for payment via e-mail.
Summary
Assembly Bill 3771 authorizes municipalities in New Jersey to offer electronic delivery, by e-mail, of three categories of municipal correspondence: property tax bills, construction permits, and receipts for payment of municipal fees or charges. The bill directs the Director of the Division of Local Government Services, working with the Office of Information Technology and the State Treasurer, to establish the procedure and related forms, rules, and regulations that municipalities may use if they choose to adopt the program.
The measure is optional for municipalities rather than mandatory. A municipality that wants to use e-mail delivery must adopt an ordinance designating e-mail as an authorized method of delivery, but it may not make electronic delivery the only option. Taxpayers, mortgage loan servicers, permit applicants, and other fee payers must still be allowed to receive paper copies by regular mail at no additional charge if they do not opt in to electronic delivery.
Impact
The bill would supplement Title 52 of the Revised Statutes by creating a state-level framework for optional electronic municipal notice delivery. It affects municipal administration, local tax billing practices, and construction permitting processes, while preserving existing paper-mail requirements for anyone who does not consent to e-mail delivery. It also requires state administrative rulemaking and implementation guidance from the Division of Local Government Services, with input from technology and treasury officials.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally favorable and administrative in nature, with an emphasis on modernization and convenience rather than controversy. Its structure suggests support for giving municipalities a new efficiency tool while protecting residents and applicants who prefer or require traditional mail. No committee testimony or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or formal sentiment beyond the bill’s protective opt-in design.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the balance between modernization and access. Supporters are likely to favor reduced mailing costs, faster delivery, and easier recordkeeping, while critics could raise concerns about digital access, reliability of e-mail delivery, privacy, and whether residents should have to manage another opt-in system. The bill addresses some of these concerns by prohibiting municipalities from making e-mail the sole method of delivery and by requiring continued free paper mail for those who do not participate.