A 5153 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires unexpended State aid for nonpublic school nursing services and nonpublic school security services to be used to support nonpublic school transportation services.*

This bill allows school districts in New Jersey to use leftover state funding for nonpublic school nursing services to pay for security services, and vice versa. Currently, districts must return any unused money from these specific programs to the state after the school year ends. The change permits districts to apply unspent funds from one program toward the costs of the other before a refund is required. This adjustment provides districts with more flexibility in managing state aid allocated for student safety and health care in private schools.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2026

Committee Review

Jun 2026

General Assembly Passage

Jun 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced May 28, 2026 Last action Jun 30, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Assembly Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The Assembly Committee Substitute fundamentally redirects unexpended State aid for nonpublic school nursing and security services. Instead of allowing districts to cross-use leftover funds between the two programs, the substitute requires all unexpended funds to be refunded to the State and then specifically applied to increase the per-pupil maximum for nonpublic school transportation costs under N.J.S.18A:39-1. This shifts the policy goal from program flexibility to boosting transportation funding.

FISCAL

Unexpended nonpublic school nursing services aid can no longer be used for security services expenditures. It must now be refunded to the State and applied to increase the maximum per-pupil nonpublic school transportation cost limit under N.J.S.18A:39-1 for the school year succeeding the following school year.

Unexpended nonpublic school security services aid can no longer be used for nursing services expenditures. It must now be refunded to the State and applied to increase the maximum per-pupil nonpublic school transportation cost limit under N.J.S.18A:39-1 for the school year succeeding the following school year.

SCOPE

The bill's purpose changed from permitting cross-program use of unexpended funds (nursing to security and vice versa) to mandating that all unexpended funds be directed toward nonpublic school transportation cost increases, a completely different program area.

TECHNICAL

Multiple instances of the phrase 'this act' were replaced with specific statutory citations (e.g., P.L.1991, c.226 (C.18A:40-23 et seq.) and P.L.2016, c.49 (C.18A:58-37.8 et seq.)) to improve cross-referencing clarity.

Co-sponsors were added: Assemblywoman Brennan, Assemblyman Simonsen, Assemblywoman Swain, and Assemblyman Tully.

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

Jun 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by the Assembly (78-1-0)

lower

Jun 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

lower

Jun 15, 2026

Committee

Reported as an Assembly Committee Substitute and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee

lower

May 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

lower

3 primary · 4 co-sponsors