The Senate and Assembly held voting sessions and advanced several education-related bills. In addition, the governor signed a bill concerning student sunscreen policies into law. All bills relevant to boards of education are highlighted below.
New Law
Governor Murphy signed the following bill into law on Monday, March 31:
Sunscreen Policies S-1548/A-1028 will require school districts to adopt policies concerning student use of sunscreen and sun-protective clothing at school and school-sponsored functions. The policy shall not require a student to provide documentation from a physician or other licensed health care professional. As amended, the policy may require written permission from a student’s parent or guardian but may not require school personnel to assist a student in applying sunscreen.
The New Jersey School Boards Association supported the amended bill. It was passed by the Senate in December and by the Assembly on Monday, March 24.
Passed by Assembly
The Assembly held a voting session on Monday, March 24, and passed the following bills relevant to boards of education:
Home Instruction Documentation A-3340 would empower a general education or special education student’s advanced practice nurse or physician assistant – in addition to their physician – to document the student’s need for home instruction for more than 10 consecutive or 15 cumulative school days during the school year due to a temporary or chronic health condition pursuant to NJDOE regulations (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-10.1 et seq.).
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill, which has not yet moved in the Senate.
Eating Disorder Training Program A-4983 would require certain athletic trainers and coaches of interscholastic sports, cheerleading and dance programs, and collegiate sports to complete a student-athlete eating disorder training program developed by the commissioner of education. A coach or athletic trainer would be required to initially complete the training program within six months of the first full school year or academic year, as applicable, following the establishment of the training program, and then every two years thereafter. Additionally, the bill would require each board of education and governing board of a public institution of higher education to adopt a policy detailing the protocol that a coach, athletic trainer or other staff member is to follow when it is suspected that a student-athlete may have an eating disorder.
The NJSBA supports the bill, while also seeking an amendment that would add language to the legislation to ensure that any training program established would be free of charge to both the individuals required to complete it and to their districts. The bill, which has not yet moved in the Senate, was previously approved by the Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee on Thursday, March 20.
Passed by Senate
The Senate held a voting session on Monday, March 24, and passed the following bills relevant to boards of education:
TPAF Reenrollment Changes A-1675/S-2078 extends the length of time a member of the teachers’ pension system (Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund, or TPAF) can discontinue their service and still maintain their membership in the system. Under current law, membership in the TPAF ceases if an individual discontinues service for more than two years. This bill extends the period of discontinuation to 10 years. The bill also extends the length of time a member who left service for certain qualifying reasons (e.g., due to a reduction in force) may return to service and includes among the qualifying reasons those who voluntarily left service with 10 or more years of service credit. Under current law, membership in the TPAF may continue if such a member returns to service within a period of 10 years from the date of discontinuation from service. This bill extends the period of discontinuation to 15 years. Members who return to service under the terms of this bill will be placed in the member’s pension tier at the time of their original termination of service.
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill. The legislation would have no direct impact on school district finances, as the state pays the employer share of TPAF costs on behalf of boards of education. The bill also explicitly states that there will be no additional contributions imposed on the re-enrolled member or the member’s employer.
The Assembly passed the bill in June, but after technical amendments were made in the Senate, it will head back to the Assembly for a concurrence vote before being ready for the governor’s signature.
Special Education Transportation Task Force S-3447 would establish the Special Education Task Force. The task force’s purpose is to study and make recommendations for best practices in transporting students who receive special education and related services, including preventing, identifying and responding to medical and behavioral emergencies. The task force would consist of 22 members, including a representative of the NJSBA.
The NJSBA supports the bill, which has not yet moved in the Assembly.
IEP Meeting Guidelines & Working Group S-3982 would require certain information to be provided to a parent at least two business days prior to an annual individualized education program team meeting and would establish a working group within the NJDOE. Pursuant to the bill, at least two days prior to an IEP meeting, a school must provide a student’s parent or guardian with a written statement of items to be discussed at the meeting, including 1) the student’s current levels of academic and functional performance; 2) a list of the names of any required IEP team members who are seeking to be excused from participation in the IEP team meeting accompanied by their input into programs and services for which they are responsible and 3) an invitation for the parent or guardian to provide input and feedback on proposed services and programs. The bill would also establish an IEP Improvement Working Group to provide recommendations to the NJDOE regarding methods to improve the development and implementation of IEPs and to ensure parental involvement in the process. The working group would include two school board members.
The NJSBA supports the bill, which has not yet moved in the Assembly.
Protecting Student Data S-4162 would amend current law so that a waiver template or form developed by the NJDOE, a board of education, or a board of trustees of a charter school for use in collecting student financial aid information would require the student, parent/guardian or school counselor, as applicable, to provide only the student’s name, telephone number, email address, date and signature of the person submitting the waiver. Under the bill, school districts and charter schools are prohibited from using or disclosing the waiver submitted under P.L.2023, c.295, or any personal information contained within the waiver, without the informed consent of the student or the student’s parent or guardian.
The NJSBA supports the bill, which has not yet moved in the Assembly.
To view the full text of any of the bills summarized above, please visit the New Jersey Legislature’s website.
