New Jersey lost a proud progressive, liberal voice last night with the passing of Byron Baer, retired NJ State Senator for district 37. Legislative giant for four decades dies at 77 Byron spent 34 years in the New Jersey legislature; 21 years as an Assemblyman and 11 years as a state Senator.
Byron orginally pursued a career in movies special effects, but moved to politics after the call of social justice led him to became a Freedom Rider in the 1960's. His efforts to expose inequality and promote voting rights resulted him serving time in the Mississippi state Penitentiary along with Martin Luther King.
During his time in the legislature, Byron wrote and/or sponsored NJ's Truth in Pricing, Right to know Act, Open Public Meetings Act (Sunshine Law), Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act, Ethnic Terrorism Act, Open Public Records Act, and many more devoted to good government, civil rights and Consumer protection. Byron's legislation served as a model for many other states and for national legislation. Biography
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