NJASA Legislative Activity Update
December 13, 2021
The following legislative activity took place on November 22, 2021:

S-4166 Testa, Jr./Pennacchio
Prohibits teaching of critical race theory in public schools; prohibits public school teachers from engaging in political, ideological, or religious advocacy in classroom.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
 
S-4175 Gopal
Makes supplemental appropriation of $1 million for the Knowledge Empowers Youth and Sobriety Academy, Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 2, 2021:

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.
 
A-6076 Bergen
Provides supplemental appropriations of $20 million for loan redemption program and tuition reimbursement program for certain teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-6080 Rooney
Prohibits teaching staff members from inputting information and conversations regarding individually identifiable health information into third party software applications managed by entities engaging in partisan political activity.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-6087 Lampitt
Revises definition of "harassment, intimidation or bullying" under "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act."
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
A-6089 Spearman/Reynolds
Requires candidate for teacher certification to complete course or training on anti-racism in education.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
A-6103 Mukherji
Requires instruction on cybersecurity in grades nine through 12; requires Office of Secretary of Higher Education to develop cybersecurity model curricula; establishes loan redemption programs for individuals in certain cybersecurity occupations.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee
 
A-6104 Mukherji
Requires municipalities, counties, and school districts to report cybersecurity incidents.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee
 
A-6105 Mukherji
Establishes Division of School Desegregation in DOE to identify racial and socioeconomic segregation of school districts and to ensure better integration in public schools.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
S-108 Gill/Turner/Caputo/Wirths
Concerns speech rights of student journalists at public schools and public institutions of higher education.
2nd Reading in the Senate on Concur. w/Governor's Recommend. 
 
S-969 Ruiz/Turner/Mazzeo/Lampitt/Moen, Jr.
Establishes loan redemption program for teachers in certain fields to redeem loan amounts received under New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students Loan Program through employment in certain low performing schools.
2nd Reading in the Senate on Concur. w/Governor's Recommend. 
 
S-1219 Turner/Beach
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.
 
S-2834 Ruiz/Cunningham/Quijano/Lampitt/McKnight
Mandates training on culturally responsive teaching for all candidates for teaching certification.
2nd Reading in the Senate on Concur. w/Governor's Recommend.
 
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.
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
S-3488 Sweeney/Gopal/O’Scanlon, Jr./Burzichelli/Dancer/Spearman
Modifies certain procedures pertaining to school district regionalization; establishes grant program for cost reimbursement of conducting regionalization feasibility studies; and provides financial incentives for regionalization.
2nd Reading in the Senate on Concur. w/Governor's Recommend
 
S-3726 Weinberg/Turner
Ensures student well-being during school security drills.
Senate Amendment 

S-4021 Gopal/Ruiz
Requires school districts to provide instruction on history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

S-4199 Schepisi
Prohibits teaching staff members from inputting information and conversations regarding individually identifiable health information into third party software applications managed by entities engaging in partisan political activity.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-4200 Sacco
Revises conditions for use of virtual or remote instruction to meet minimum 180-day school year requirement.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
 
S-4203 Ruiz/Oroho
Eliminates requirement for State residency for public school employees.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-4206 Ruiz
Requires Department of Education to annually report use of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 6, 2021:
 
A-998 Downey/Houghtaling/Benson/Vainieri Huttle
The "New Jersey Social Innovation Act"; establishes social innovation loan pilot program and study commission within EDA.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

A-2078 Calabrese
Requires new flooring for schools and child care centers to be certified mercury free.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
 
A-4008 Karabinchak/Murphy/Space
Provides secondary classroom experience credit towards meeting requirements of classroom training portion of registered apprenticeship.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
 
A-6136 Scharfenberger/Auth
Prohibits teaching of critical race theory in public schools; prohibits public school teachers from engaging in political, ideological, or religious advocacy in classroom.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee
 
AR-276 Peterson
Urges United States Department of Education to conduct National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2021.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
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.
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
S-3471 Turner/Ruiz
Requires students to complete financial aid application as part of high school graduation requirements.
Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

S-4077 Diegnan, Jr./Greenstein
Requires DEP to develop and implement electric school bus program; provides for $15 million in first year and $15 million annually in subsequent two years to DEP, subject to availability, to provide grants. 
Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading
 
S-4222 Sweeney
Eliminates requirement for DOE to set certain tuition rates for approved private schools for students with disabilities in certain cases.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

S-4227 Smith
Requires school districts to include environmental sustainability plan in long-range facilities plan.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
 
S-4245 Ruiz
Extends period of time for filing special education due process petitions related to COVID-19 school closures and periods of virtual, remote, hybrid, or in-person instruction.
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
The following legislative activity took place on December 9, 2021:

A-5291 Quijano
Requires educator preparation program to report passing rates of students who complete certain tests and to disseminate information on test fee waiver programs, and permits collection of student fee for certain testing costs.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-5999 Lampitt/Jasey/Caputo
Requires Department of Education to annually report use of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
 
A-6000 Verrelli/Lampitt/Carter
Allows alternative evaluation in place of basic skills testing requirements for certain teacher certification.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

A-6001 Chiaravalloti/Caputo/Lampitt
Provides for postponement of New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum review for certain school districts for 2021-2022 school year.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
 
A-6100 Mukherji/Jasey/Timberlake/Stanley
Requires school districts to provide instruction on history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee; on 12/9/2021 Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading
 
A-6181 Murphy
Requires school districts and nonpublic schools to develop emergency operations plans; requires school districts to provide instruction on environmental and natural disasters to students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-6183 Murphy
Permits counties, municipalities, school districts, and fire districts to leave of civil service.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee
 
A-6187 Dancer
Expands high school winter sports eligibility for students participating in Bridge Year Pilot Program.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-6199 Downey
Makes supplemental appropriation of $1 million for the Knowledge Empowers Youth and Sobriety Academy, Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

A-6207 Greenwald/Lampitt/Benson
Eliminates requirement for DOE to set certain tuition rates for approved private schools for students with disabilities in certain cases.
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
S-2835 Ruiz/Cunningham
Requires compilation of data and issuance of annual reports on New Jersey teacher workforce.
Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
 
S-3723 Ruiz
Requires DCF and DOE to establish policies and procedures relating to child abuse and neglect and child abuse prevention during certain public health emergencies.
Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading; on 12/9/21 Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
 
S-4074 Ruiz/Beach
Allows alternative evaluation in place of basic skills testing requirements for certain teacher certification.
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee; on 12/9/2021 Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

S-4021 Gopal/Ruiz
Requires school districts to provide instruction on history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading
 
S-4074 Ruiz/Beach
Allows alternative evaluation in place of basic skills testing requirements for certain teacher certification.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
 
A-4595 Quijano/Lampitt/Reynolds-Jackson
Establishes "Male Teachers of Color Mentorship Pilot Program;" appropriates $50,000.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

A-5126 McKnight/Lampitt/Vainieri Huttle
Requires Commissioner of Education to prepare learning loss report and report on public school operations during COVID-19 public health emergency.
Recommitted to Assembly Agriculture Committee; Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

S-2829 Ryiz/Singleton
Establishes "Male Teachers of Color Mentorship Pilot Program;" appropriates $50,000.
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

S-2830 Ruiz/Singleton
Requires educator preparation program to report passing rates of students who complete certain tests and to disseminate information on test fee waiver programs, and permits collection of student fee for certain testing costs.
Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading

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.
Recommitted to Assembly Agriculture Committee; Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading
 
S-4197 Diegnan, Jr.
Authorizes creation of Student Movement Against Cancer license plates.
Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee