This bill requires nursing schools in New Jersey to include education on inflammatory breast cancer in their professional nursing curricula. The law mandates that this training be developed with input from medical experts specializing in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of this specific type of cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form that blocks lymph vessels in the skin and often lacks the typical breast lump seen in other breast cancers, making it harder to detect. By ensuring nursing students learn to recognize its unique symptoms, the bill aims to improve early detection and treatment outcomes for patients. The changes will take effect at the start of the 12th month following enactment, allowing time for nursing programs to update their curricula accordingly.
This bill appropriates up to $50 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to help school districts in New Jersey offset tax levy increases caused by rising health care costs. It specifically targets qualifying districts where the adjusted tax levy for the 2026-2027 school year has increased by more than 9.9 percent compared to the 2024-2025 school year. The amount each district receives is calculated based on its proportionate share of the statewide increase in health care costs. The legislation takes effect immediately and aims to provide financial relief to districts facing steep tax hikes due to a 29.9 percent allowable adjustment for health care expenses.
This bill updates New Jersey's rules for identifying students with specific learning disabilities by aligning state procedures with federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It allows school districts to use three identification methods, including response to scientific interventions and alternative research-based procedures, while prohibiting the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement as the sole criterion starting in the fourth school year after enactment. The legislation also mandates that evaluations be comprehensive and include assessments of basic psychological processes, and requires the State Board of Education to create regulations implementing these changes.
This bill directs New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create guidelines for incorporating outdoor education opportunities into public school curricula. The guidelines must outline methods for expanding outdoor learning experiences like field trips and provide resources and training for teachers on outdoor learning best practices. School districts are encouraged to adopt these guidelines in their elementary and secondary programs, subject to available funding. The legislation applies to the first full school year following its enactment.
This bill requires the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to allow eligible NJCLASS loan borrowers to pause their loan payments for 12 weeks after becoming a parent. To qualify, students must submit proof of their child's birth or adoption within 120 days of the event, and the deferment period begins once the authority receives this documentation. During the 12-week pause, borrowers do not need to make payments on the loan principal, and interest will not accumulate on the debt. The measure directly affects current NJCLASS loan holders in New Jersey who have recently had a child through birth or adoption.
This New Jersey bill prohibits colleges and universities from paying commissions, bonuses, or tuition-sharing fees to online program management companies for recruiting students, with the sole exception of recruiting students from foreign countries. It requires institutions to submit all contracts with these third-party companies to the Secretary of Higher Education within 20 days of signing and mandates that governing boards review and approve such agreements before they take effect. The law also restricts what these contracts can include, banning provisions that allow companies to influence curriculum design, set admission standards, hire faculty, or use the institution's name and logos in ways that mislead students into thinking the company is part of the school.
This bill establishes a 13-member Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding to study New Jersey's higher education system, including its organizational structure, oversight mechanisms, and financial support. The task force will include representatives from state agencies, universities, colleges, and labor organizations, with appointments made within 60 days of the bill's effective date. The group is required to hold at least one public hearing, examine how current funding affects tuition and student outcomes, and submit data-driven recommendations to the Legislature on how to adequately and equitably fund public higher education institutions. The bill appropriates $200,000 to cover the task force's operational costs and member reimbursement for necessary expenses.
This bill allows school districts in New Jersey to offer one-time virtual or remote instruction to students attending public schools that are being used as polling places on April 16, 2026, for a special election. The measure permits districts to count this day of remote learning toward the state's 180-day school attendance requirement, which is normally only counted during declared emergencies. Districts must ensure students have access to necessary technology and follow existing virtual instruction guidelines approved by the state education commissioner. The superintendent of schools decides whether to implement the program and must notify parents, staff, and the school board of the decision.
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This bill allows New Jersey school districts to count absences due to a student's mental or behavioral health issues as excused absences. It requires the state Commissioner of Education to work with the Commissioner of Health to create guidelines that define what counts as an excused absence for these health reasons and what documentation schools may need when students return. The policy changes would apply starting the first day of the second full school year after the bill is enacted, giving the state time to prepare administrative rules. Students with mental or behavioral health challenges would gain flexibility in their attendance records, while schools would have a standardized framework to verify these absences.
This bill allows school districts in New Jersey to count the value of SREC-IIs (Solar Renewable Energy Credits) as part of the financial calculations when deciding whether energy-saving projects are cost-effective. It directly affects school boards and energy service companies that implement energy conservation programs in public schools. The key change permits these renewable energy credits to be included in cost-benefit analyses, potentially making it easier for districts to justify and fund energy efficiency improvements. The bill does not alter existing requirements for public bidding, prevailing wages, or contractor qualifications under current energy savings improvement programs.
