This bill amends New Jersey's juvenile detention rules for cases involving specific firearms offenses. It requires courts to consider placement in a reengagement center - offering counseling, job training, and school support - instead of detention for juveniles charged with unlawful weapon possession (N.J.S.2C:39-5) or prohibited weapons (N.J.S.2C:39-3). The law applies directly to juveniles aged 11+ charged with these offenses, mandating parental/guardian written assurance for court appearances and prioritizing rehabilitation over detention. Courts must weigh factors like the juvenile's age and prior court compliance when deciding placements.
This bill sets strict deadlines for the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to review annual audits submitted by Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSDs). For audits submitted after the bill's effective date, the Commissioner must complete the review within seven years of submission; for older audits, the deadline is seven years after submission or two years after the bill's effective date (whichever is later). If the Commissioner misses these deadlines, the audit is automatically approved, preventing indefinite delays that previously disrupted school district budgeting and created unfair financial penalties for APSSDs. The bill directly affects APSSDs and the school districts that fund them through tuition payments.
This bill (A 2274) allows active-duty U.S. military members and their dependents living in New Jersey to qualify for the lower county resident tuition rate at any county college in the county where they reside or are stationed. Currently, many military families maintain out-of-county addresses and pay higher non-resident tuition rates, even though they live in the county. The bill treats these military-affiliated individuals as county residents for tuition purposes, aligning with existing state law that grants in-state tuition benefits at public colleges. This change directly affects military members and their dependents attending New Jersey county colleges, ensuring they pay the reduced local resident rate instead of higher out-of-county or out-of-state fees.
This bill changes New Jersey's requirements for teachers who want to instruct military science (JROTC) in high schools. It reduces the required military service from 20 years to 10 years for eligibility, while keeping the need for current military instructor certification. The revised endorsement would allow certified teachers to instruct grades 9-12 in military science programs, aligning with updated federal JROTC instructor standards. The change applies directly to current and future teachers seeking this specific teaching certification.
This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a free emergency notification system for schools to alert students, staff, parents, and law enforcement during active shooter incidents on school grounds. The system must allow students (with parental permission), parents, teachers, and staff to register any mobile device (like phones or tablets) for alerts, work with all device types, and automatically contact local police or state police upon activation. Each school must customize the system to include only registered contacts, and the system must be provided at no cost to all public and nonpublic schools. The bill takes immediate effect and directly affects all New Jersey schools and their registered users.
This bill changes eligibility rules for New Jersey's Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) grants and campus programs. It clarifies that students who already earned an associate degree, college credits, or completed a dual-degree program in high school remain eligible for EOF grants and campus-based programs if they meet all other requirements (like residency, financial need, and full-time enrollment). The bill removes a potential barrier that previously might have excluded these students from participating. It does not change existing financial need or residency requirements but ensures prior college experience does not automatically disqualify applicants.
This bill prevents new employees of school board and county college insurance groups from joining New Jersey's state retirement system (PERS). It also ends retirement coverage for current employees in these groups with fewer than 10 years of service credit. Employees with 10 or more years may keep their retirement coverage if they continue working without interruption. The bill repeals prior laws that allowed certain employees on leave to purchase additional pension credit.
This bill requires all public and private school buildings in New Jersey to install carbon monoxide detectors meeting Underwriters Laboratories standard 2034, unless a hazard assessment determines no risk exists. The Commissioner of Community Affairs must create rules for detector placement and hazard evaluations, and school construction permits must include detector provisions. Local authorities may charge fees to cover inspection costs for compliance, but fees cannot exceed actual inspection expenses. The law amends existing fire safety and construction code regulations to implement these requirements.
This bill requires New Jersey colleges and universities (including proprietary institutions) to notify the state's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority when the federal government approves a student loan discharge under "borrower defense" rules. Specifically, institutions must inform the Authority within a reasonable timeframe if a student - especially a New Jersey resident during enrollment - is approved for federal student loan forgiveness due to institutional misconduct. The law does not change federal loan rules but adds a state reporting requirement to help track discharges affecting residents. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill provides supplemental funding from New Jersey's Property Tax Relief Fund to the Department of Education to ensure certain school districts receive at least the same total state aid in the 2021-2022 school year as they did in 2017-2018. It directly affects five named districts (Old Bridge, Freehold, Manalapan-Englishtown, Millstone) plus any district with below-average property valuation per pupil or income per pupil compared to the state average. The key mechanism is a supplemental appropriation to offset potential aid reductions, targeting districts that historically received lower state support. Over 100 districts may qualify under the eligibility criteria, including examples like New Hanover and Roosevelt. The funding is contingent on the 2022 budget being enacted.
