Establishes pilot program in DOE to use therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs.
This bill establishes a 3-year pilot program in New Jersey's public elementary schools to test the use of therapy dogs in wellness initiatives. Participating school districts must apply with details about their schools, student wellness programs, and their specific plans for incorporating therapy dogs. The Department of Education will select two districts from each of the state's three regions (southern, central, northern), ensuring representation across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The program requires the DOE to provide guidance on therapy dog activities, handler training, dog health monitoring, and insurance, and mandates a final report evaluating the program's impact on student academic performance and health outcomes by June 2029.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
General Assembly Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 9, 2026
Last action May 28, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
4
Key actions
1
Committee
1
May 28, 2026
Committee
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
lower
May 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by the Senate (36-0)
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
upper
2 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Jim Beach
DDemocratic
P
Tony Bucco
RRepublican
Co
Angela McKnight
DDemocratic
Co
Kristin Corrado
RRepublican
Co
Latham Tiver
RRepublican
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