NJASA Legislative Update
November 9, 2020

If you have any questions regarding the legislative information below, please email me at  mschulz@njasa.net.
The following legislative activity took place on October 19, 2020:

A-4006 Chiaravalloti/Caputo/Mejia/Pou/Turner
Postpones New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) review for certain school districts to accommodate disruption due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Absolute Veto, Received in the Assembly

A-4544 Caputo
Permits school nurse who is retired from TPAF to return to employment during public health emergency and state of emergency for COVID-19 pandemic, for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4819 Lampitt/DeAngelo/Giblin
Establishes School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program in BPU.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee

A-4838 Reynolds-Jackson/Verrelli/Vainieri Huttle
Requires school report card to include information concerning number of mental health professionals and security personnel employed by each school district.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

AR92 DeAngelo/Wirths/Karabinchak
Urges Congress to pass "Community Broadband Act."
Resolution Passed Assembly; Filed with Secretary of State

S-3013 Ruiz/Corrado
Renames "security aid" as "health and safety aid" to reflect that secure schools provide for students' mental health; provides that State aid for nonpublic school security services may also be used for mental health services.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3014 Gopal
Directs Attorney General to establish program for anonymous reporting of potential threats to school safety.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3033 Sweeney/Singleton
Establishes School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program in BPU.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee

S-3036 RIce
Eliminates partial and full State intervention under New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3040 Gopal
Amends School Ethics Act to prohibit school official from using or attempting to use official position to promote or advance political activities within 90 days of election.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3043 Sarlo/Thompson
Delays by five months deadline for completion and filing of school district's annual audit for 2019-2020 school year.
Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading

S-3045 Sweeney/Cryan
Allows health insurers to provide certain health care benefit plans to local boards of education and eligible employers who do not participate in SEHBP; modifies employee contribution for New Jersey Educators Health Plan and its equivalent.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
The following legislative activity took place on October 22, 2020:

A-970 Conaway, Jr./Lampitt/Murphy
Requires public schools to administer written screenings for depression for students in certain grades.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

A-1184 Zwicker
Requires school districts and charter schools to report discipline data on their websites and to Commissioner of Education.
Reported from Assembly Comm. as a Substitute, 2nd Reading

A-3601 Quijano/McKnight/Timberlake
Allocates Amistad Commission in but not of DOE; requires commission to elect chairperson and appoint executive director; requires public schools to include instruction on accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to American society.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4414 Conaway, Jr./Verrelli/Caputo
Requires public schools to report all student disciplinary actions; requires DOE to establish database and compile annual report concerning disparities in student disciplinary actions.
Combined with A-1184 (ACS)

A-4856 Lampitt/Benson/Caputo
Requires Internet websites and web services of school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-4860 McKnight/Chiaravalloti
Establishes certain program requirements for school counselor certification; requires periodic certificate renewal and professional development for school counselors; mandates number of school counselors per public school; establishes position of School Counselor Liaison in DOE.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-4863 Vainieri Huttle/Benson/Verrelli
Requires school district to develop resource guide on virtual or remote instruction for students and families.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

S-1028 Ruiz/Turner/Singleton
Allocates Amistad Commission in but not of DOE; requires commission to elect chairperson and appoint executive director; requires public schools to include instruction on accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to American society.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

S-2259 Singleton/Ruiz
Requires public schools to administer written screenings for depression for students in certain grades.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-2899 Ruiz/Singleton
Establishes Safe Remote Learning Program in DOE to support provision of remote instruction facilities by public schools.
Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

S-3045 Sweeney/Cryan
Allows health insurers to provide certain health care benefit plans to local boards of education and eligible employers who do not participate in SEHBP; modifies employee contribution for New Jersey Educators Health Plan and its equivalent.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-3069 Diegnan, Jr.
Directs State Board of Education to establish program for issuance of temporary teaching certificate to certain students in educator preparation programs; permits school districts to hire these students as teachers for 2020-2021 school year.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

SJR30 Pou
Designates second week of June of each year as "Kids Entrepreneurship Awareness Week."
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
The following legislative activity took place on October 29, 2020:

A-4461 Lampitt/Jasey/Quijano/Ruiz/Turner
Requires State to enter into contract and coordinate with certain cooperative purchasing systems for procurement of COVID-19 related goods and services by school districts.
Substituted for S-2698; Senate Amendment

A-4545 Conaway, Jr./Murphy/Wimberly
Requires school districts to include instruction on racial discrimination and social justice as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies for middle school students.
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

A-4896 Dancer
Directs State Board of Education to establish program for issuance of temporary teaching certificate to certain students in educator preparation programs; permits school districts to hire these students as teachers for 2020-2021 school year.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-4905 Moen, Jr.
Allows health insurers to provide certain health care benefit plans to local boards of education and eligible employers who do not participate in SEHBP; modifies employee contribution for New Jersey Educators Health Plan and its equivalent.
Introduced and referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

A-4931 Murphy/Rooney/Benson
Requires school districts to establish procedures for online reporting of harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

AR92 DeAngelo/Wirths/Karabinchak
Urges Congress to pass "Community Broadband Act."
Resolution Passed Assembly; Filed with Secretary of State

S-2691 Greenstein
Authorizes school districts to maintain surplus at four percent for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.
Senate Amendment, 2nd reading in Senate
 
S-3043 Sarlo/Thompson
Delays by five months deadline for completion and filing of school district's annual audit for 2019-2020 school year.
Passed in Senate; Received in Assembly w/o committee reference, 2nd reading in Assembly
 
S-3087 Oroho
Revises schedule of State school aid reductions for school districts in Highlands Region.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
 
SR98 Singleton
Urges Congress to pass "Community Broadband Act."
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee
The following legislative activity took place on November 5, 2020:

A-3392 Reynolds-Jackson/Timberlake/Jasey
Requires student representative be appointed to each board of education of school district and board of trustees of charter school that includes grades nine through 12.
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

A-4454 Murphy/Reynolds-Jackson/Verrelli
Requires school districts to include instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-2849 Ruiz/Greenstein
Directs NJ Department of Agriculture to request necessary waivers from US Department of Agriculture to provide food and meals during school closures due to COVID-19 public health emergency.
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee

A-4912 Dunn/Rooney
Requires studies on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on elementary and secondary school attendance and higher education enrollment.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
A-4930 Vainieri Huttle/Benson/Verrelli
Renames "security aid" as "health and safety aid" to reflect that secure schools provide for students' mental health; provides that State aid for nonpublic school security services may also be used for mental health services.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
A-4931 Murphy/Rooney/Benson
Requires school districts to establish procedures for online reporting of harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
A-4934 Reynolds-Jackson/Carter
Requires school districts to include instruction on conflict resolution as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee