Byron M. Baer (October 18, 1929 – June 24, 2007) was an American civil rights activist and Democratic Party politician who represented the New Jersey's 37th legislative district in the General Assembly from 1972 to 1994 and the Senate from 1994 to 2005.
Baer was the primary author of the Open Public Meetings Act, the basic public records law in New Jersey, which was later renamed in his honor. He was an advocate of open government throughout his legislative career. Baer also sponsored a bill establishing New Jersey's Office of the Child Advocate and the state's identity theft law.
Early life and education
According to his wife, Baer's grandparents emigrated from Germany and helped family members emigrate from Germany during the rise of the Nazi Party. Baer attended the March on Washington in 1963 and participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965. King relied on Baer, who had experience in film, to advise on lighting for King's media appearances.
In his hometown of Englewood, Baer was part of the movement to desegregate local public schools, and he advocated for fair housing policies in the city. Baer challenged the results from Hudson County as fraudulent. His challenge dragged the race into the summer. After Superior Court judge Thomas O'Brien ordered a recount in North Bergen, Baer gained 200 votes. On August 11, Superior Court judge John Marzulli ordered a new primary election. Baer won the Bergen County organization line by only one vote over Englewood mayor Donald Aronson. He won the primary over Aronson and the general election over former Hackensack council member Mauro Mecca, with 60 percent of the vote in each. Baer was easily re-elected to three more terms before resigning in 2005. In 1997, he defeated Bogota mayor Steve Lonegan.
As Senator, Baer served on a variety of Senate committees including the Legislative Services Commission, Joint Committee on Public Schools, State Government, and Judiciary. He was also the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. He was married to Linda Pollitt Baer, a New Jersey administrative law judge and former Bergen County Freeholder. His children are David Baer and Laura Baer and his stepchildren are Lara (Pollitt) Rodriquez and Roger Pollitt.
Baer died on June 24, 2007 from congestive heart failure at an assisted living facility, following several years of ill-health.