Nothing has so clearly highlighted the need for government transparency as the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal and the subsequent political fallout. Though New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisniewski, co-chair of the special committee to investigate the PANYNJ, continues to probe for answers, the issue of accountability and transparency seems fated to remain well after the “Bridgegate” scandal is resolved.

That is, unless legislation is passed to mandate that the bi-state agency is subject to both the New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) and New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA).

The New York State Legislature has already taken this step, and a bill subjecting the Port Authority to New York’s FOIL law is awaiting Governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature.

But similar efforts in New Jersey have been slow to get out of the starting gate. While a Senate bill to ensure the Port Authority was accountable to New Jersey’s OPRA law passed the full Senate this past June, its Assembly counterpart has yet to move in the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.

While New Jersey technically has the remainder of the 2014-2015 legislative session to deliver a transparency bill to Governor Christie for his signature, New York’s legislative session concluded in June and will not resume until January 2015. The pending New York transparency bill might be signed by Governor Cuomo by December; otherwise, the legislation in New York will be withdrawn and must be reintroduced in next year’s session, creating a sense of urgency for New Jersey’s legislators to act. That’s because transparency reform for PANYNJ requires signed legislation from both governors, and New York may yet run out of time.

Assemblyman Wisniewski also chairs the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, and laudably has pushed for broader reform of the PANYNJ. But any major reform of the Port Authority has to start somewhere, and this transparency measure can serve as a way to further address needed structural changes at PANYNJ while also achieving tangible transparency results in the short term. Assemblyman Wisniewski should make sure the PA is held accountable and move on this much needed transparency bill.