NJASA Legislative Update
November 24, 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 November 5, 2020:

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

S-3094 Ruiz
Requires Internet websites and web services of school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3118 Diegnan, Jr./Pou
Establishes Safe School Reopening Grant Program in DOE to help public school purchase air filtration systems and ultraviolet cleaning programs to address COVID-19 pandemic; appropriates $10 million.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3123 Cruz-Perez
Establishes Safe and Equitable Remote Learning Program in DOE to support provision of mobile broadband Internet access service and remote learning safe havens by certain school districts.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3129 Pou
Requires apportionment of membership on certain regional district boards of education to be based on amount of district costs apportioned to each constituent municipality.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate 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.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee
The following legislative activity took place on November 9, 2020:

S-3165 Cruz-Perez
Prohibits administration of assessments developed by Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3167 Gopal
Requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of electronic cigarette usage as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on November 12, 2020:

A-4959 Swain/Tully/Vainieri Huttle
Requires certain students to complete annual school climate survey on bullying and harassment.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-4964 Benson/Caputo
Permits school districts to apply to DOE for reimbursement of costs of ultraviolet-C lights and air filter units for addressing transmission of COVID-19.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on November 16, 2020:

A-1184/4414 Zwicker/Conaway, Jr./Verrelli/Caputo  
Requires school districts and charter schools to report discipline data on their websites and to Commissioner of Education.
Assembly Substitution

A-4905 Moen, Jr./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.
Passed by the Assembly; Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading
Substituted for S-3045; Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses)

A-4975 Chiaravalloti
Provides for postponement of New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum review for certain school districts.
Assembly Floor Amendment Passed

A-4995 Chiaravalloti/McKnight/Rooney
Establishes pilot program in DOE to support establishment of criminal justice career academies in public high schools.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

ACR199 Space/Wirths
Proposes constitutional amendment to provide for Statewide initiative and referendum for directing State fiscal restraint.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

AJR194 Bergn/Wimberly/Rumpf
Designates first full week of May of each year as "Teacher Appreciation Week."
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

S-1028 Ruiz/Turner/Singleton/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.
Substituted for A-3601;Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses)

S-2691 Greenstein/Pou/Turner
Authorizes school districts to maintain surplus at four percent for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.
Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading

S-2908 Ruiz/Corrado
Increases child care provider payments and revises hourly limits on child care for school-aged children under subsidized child care assistance program during 2020-2021 school year.
Passed by the Senate; Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee

S-3043 Sarlo/Thompson/Dancer/Murphy/Houghtaling
Extends deadline for completion and filing of annual audit report of school district for 2019-2020 school year; establishes deadline for submission of Audit Summary for 2019-2020 school year.
Substituted for A-4603; Passed by the Assembly; Received in the Senate, 2nd Reading on Concurrence; Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses)

S-3187 Pou
Postpones New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) review for certain school districts to accommodate disruption due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-3193 Ruiz
Establishes New Jersey Community Learning Program in DOE to provide comprehensive after school programs in certain communities; dedicates portion of State cannabis revenue to support program.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on November 19, 2020:

A-1995 Pinkin
Requires registration of international student exchange visitor placement organizations with Secretary of State.
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee

A-4410 Greenwald/Jasey/Benson
Establishes Community College Opportunity Grant Program in Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to provide last-dollar financial aid grants to county college students and Student Success Incentive funding to county colleges.
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

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.
Received in Senate and referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee

A-5007 Lampitt
Requires DOE to compile list of professional development programs on virtual and remote instruction; requires public school teachers and school leaders to complete professional development program on virtual and remote instruction.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-5011 Wimberly
Provides for accidental death benefit if death of TPAF member is caused by COVID-19.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

A-5012 Wimberly
Waives physical examination requirement for certain student-athletes who participate in school-sponsored athletic activities during 2020-2021 school year.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-5025 Stanfield
Modifies age eligibility criteria for certain classified students under "Bridge Year Pilot Program."
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-5026 Burzichelli/Wirths/Muñoz
Prohibits new employees of certain organizations from enrolling in State-administered retirement system or health care plan of public employer.
Introduced and referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

A-5038 McKnight
Establishes New Jersey Community Learning Program in DOE to provide comprehensive after school programs in certain communities; dedicates portion of State cannabis revenue to support program.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-5046 Swain/Dancer
Allows qualified school to be called "New Jersey Farm Fresh School."
Introduced and referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee

A-5048 Dancer/Houghtaling
Establishes "Adopt-A-Farm" school partnership program in public secondary schools; establishes liability protections therefor.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee

A-5058 Conaway/Vainieri Huttle
Requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of electronic cigarette usage as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Introduced and referred to Assembly Education Committee

S-3206 Ruiz
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 and referred to Senate Education Committee