NJASA Legislative Update
December 21, 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 December 7, 2020:

A-5065 McKnight
Requires school districts to provide anti-bias instruction as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education; requires school districts to designate chief equity officer.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-5068 Pinkin
Requires high school students to be assessed using college placement cut scores to determine readiness for college-level course work, and Commissioner of Education to develop plan to improve college and career counseling for students.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee

S-1018 Ruiz/Gopal
Establishes task force to examine school discipline practices including racial disparities and effectiveness.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-1020 Ruiz/Gopal
Requires School Report Card to include demographic breakdown of students who receive disciplinary actions; requires Commissioner of Education to establish Statewide database concerning certain disciplinary actions.
Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

S-1154 Ruiz/Turner
Directs DOE to develop guidelines for school districts and charter schools concerning school discipline that are consistent with certain federal guidelines.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-1501 Turner
Requires school districts to adopt policies concerning student use of sunscreen and sun-protective clothing at school and school-sponsored functions.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

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.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-3213 Ruiz/Singleton
Establishes New Jersey Community Learning Program in DOE to provide comprehensive extended learning time programs in certain communities; dedicates portion of State cannabis revenue to support program.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee; Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-3217 Kean, Jr.
Allows qualified school to be called "New Jersey Farm Fresh School."
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee

SCR138 Sweeney/Cunningham
Requires that certain revenues from State sales and use taxes on cannabis and cannabis products be appropriated annually for investment in municipalities designated as "impact zones."
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 10, 2020:

S-550 Codey/Pennacchio
Requires certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

A-850 Chiaravalloti/Karabinchak/Reynolds-Jackson / S-2864 Oroho/Singleton
Establishes "Broadband Access Study Commission."
Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading
The following legislative activity took place on December 14, 2020:

A-4433 Greenwald/Mukherji/Lampitt
Creates grant program to encourage school districts to partner with institutions of higher education in training school-based mental health services providers.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4434 Greenwald/Lampitt/Mukherji
Establishes Student Wellness Grant Program in DOE.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

A-4435 Verrelli/Greenwald/Speight/Lampitt
Requires DCF to give priority to certain school districts with student mental health counseling centers in awarding grants under School Based Youth Services Program.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4436 Mosquera/Greenwald/Murphy/Speight
Establishes "Student Mental Health Task Force" to study resources available to schools and parents to address student mental health needs.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4437 Lampitt/Greenwald/Speight/Verrelli
Permits certain mental health professionals working in school districts to refer or help facilitate referral of students to private professional counselors.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-4544 Caputo/Jasey/Murphy
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 from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading; Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

A-4783 Quijano/Lampitt/Jasey
Grants reciprocity to teachers with certain out-of-state certificates.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-5144 Vainieri Huttle
Recognizes right of minors aged 14 years or older to consent to vaccination.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee

A-5147 Lampitt
Establishes Alleviating Learning Loss in New Jersey Grant Program in DOE to assist public schools in establishing or expanding certain educational programs to address learning loss in students.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

S-3150 Pou
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 from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading; Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

S-3268 Diegnan, Jr.
Requires Commissioner of Education to develop bicycle safety program for students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

SR104 Testa, Jr./Corrado
Urges high schools to include information concerning apprenticeship programs in events and resources provided to help students develop postsecondary plans.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 17, 2020:

A-4454 Murphy/Reynolds-Jackson/Verrelli/Codey/Smith/Ruiz
Requires school districts to include instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
Substituted for S-2781; Motion To Table; Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly, 2nd Reading on Concurrence

A-4975 Chiaravalloti/Caputo/Pou/Turner
Provides for postponement of New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum review for certain school districts.
Passed by the Assembly; Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading; Substituted for S-3187; Passed Both Houses

S-1790 Pennacchio/Diegnan, Jr.
Revises provisions required in school district's anti-bullying policy; provides for civil liability of parent of minor adjudicated delinquent for cyber-harassment or harassment; and increases certain fines against parents.
Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

S-3214 Ruiz/Turner
Requires Commissioner of Education to prepare learning loss report and report on public school operations during COVID-19 public health emergency.
Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 18, 2020:

A-4905 Moen/Karabinchak/Verrelli/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.
Signed by the Governor; Approved P.L.2020, c.137