A 1323 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires boards of education and boards of trustees to adopt policy on use of surveillance systems with artificial intelligence capabilities.*

This bill requires school boards in New Jersey to create written policies for any video surveillance systems using artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. The policy must detail the system's benefits and challenges, specify what data is collected, explain how data will be used, outline access plans, and mandate visible signage in areas where surveillance occurs. School boards must also share this policy with parents and guardians of students. The law applies to districts using such AI surveillance systems and takes effect for the first full school year after enactment. It does not create new surveillance but sets clear guidelines for existing or future systems.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

General Assembly Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Mar 2, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly expanded in scope to cover charter schools and renaissance school projects in addition to traditional school districts, and broadened the types of covered technology from just video surveillance systems to include x-ray machines and body scanners. A new definition of 'artificial intelligence' was added, and policy requirements were adjusted to reference student records law and the state memorandum of agreement with law enforcement.

Scope change

Expanded from only public school districts to also include charter schools and renaissance school projects, and broadened from video-only surveillance to any surveillance system including x-ray machines and body scanners with AI capabilities.

SCOPE

The bill now applies to boards of trustees of charter schools and renaissance school projects in addition to boards of education of school districts, expanding which institutions must adopt AI surveillance policies.

The covered technology was broadened from 'video surveillance system' to 'surveillance system, including a video surveillance system, x-ray machine, or body scanner,' meaning non-video surveillance technologies with AI capabilities are now included.

Subsection b. narrows the compliance-with-existing-law requirement specifically to boards that utilize a 'video surveillance system' rather than all types of surveillance systems covered by the bill.

DEFINITION

A new subsection (d) defines 'artificial intelligence' as the development of software and hardware capable of performing tasks normally requiring human intelligence, including visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, translation between languages, and generative artificial intelligence that generates new content in response to user inputs.

REQUIREMENT

The policy requirement in subsection (1) no longer mandates including 'benefits and challenges' of the system; that language was removed from the minimum requirements.

Subsection (4) now requires the board's plan to provide access to information to be in compliance with State and federal law governing student records and the provisions of the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement Between Education and Law Enforcement Officials.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the General Assembly by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 2, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by the Assembly (78-1-0)

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors