This bill provides an additional $358.8 million in funding for New Jersey state agencies and local governments for fiscal year 2026. The money is allocated to various departments, including support for domestic violence housing, prison consolidation savings, school infrastructure, and mosquito control. Specific provisions also authorize a supplemental appropriation for the Cannabis Regulatory Fund and allow nonprofit organizations to host the state's AI supercomputer. Overall, the legislation amends the existing FY2026 Appropriations Act to distribute these funds across education, health, public safety, and other state services.
This bill allows parents of twins or higher-order multiples to request that their children be placed in the same or separate classrooms within New Jersey public preschool programs. It extends existing rules for kindergarten through eighth grade to preschoolers and requires schools treating these siblings as a single unit during lottery or open enrollment processes. The legislation also permits principals to move students to different classrooms if the current placement disrupts the class or hinders academic and social development, while parents remain responsible for any extra transportation costs unless the district agrees otherwise.
This bill requires municipal tax collectors in New Jersey to share a portion of revenue collected from "payments in lieu of taxes" with local school districts. It directly affects municipalities that collect these payments under the Long Term Tax Exemption Law and the school districts that currently receive no share of this specific revenue. The legislation amends existing state statutes to define how gross revenue and net profit are calculated for urban renewal entities, ensuring that a defined percentage of the resulting income is distributed to schools. By clarifying the financial reporting requirements for these entities, the bill establishes a new mechanism for funding education through a specific stream of municipal tax revenue.
This bill requires the New Jersey Department of Education to create guidelines for the use of instructional technology in public schools, which local school boards must then adopt. The proposed rules aim to ensure that digital tools are used intentionally to support learning rather than replace direct teacher instruction or encourage passive screen time. Specifically, the guidelines must address how technology impacts student well-being and focus on age-appropriate integration that prioritizes active engagement over convenience. By defining terms like "instructional technology" and "passive screen use," the law seeks to provide a framework for balancing digital resources with traditional educational practices.
This New Jersey bill requires driver education courses to include specific training on how drivers should approach and pass slow-moving vehicles. It mandates that approved classroom instruction cover these responsibilities and ensures parents of new drivers under 18 receive a brochure with similar safety information. The law affects driving instructors by updating curriculum guidelines and impacts permit holders by providing them with educational materials on sharing the road safely.
This bill, titled the "Fairness for Coastal School Districts in Development Restricted Areas Act," provides additional state funding to specific school districts located in New Jersey municipalities restricted by the Coastal Area Facility Review Act. To qualify, a school district must have a resident enrollment of over 500 students, be situated in an area where at least 20 percent of the municipality is coastal, and have experienced a net loss in state school aid between the 2017-2018 and 2024-2025 school years. The funding amount is calculated by multiplying $275 by the number of coastal acres in the municipality, with annual caps of $2.5 million for districts with fewer than 1,000 students and $5 million for those with more. The legislation applies to the first full school year following its enactment and aims to supplement existing state aid formulas for these eligible districts.
This bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant program to include part-time undergraduate students and creates a new pilot program focused on student affordability and equity. The key change allows part-time students to receive financial aid, with the amount of their grant calculated as a prorated portion of the standard full-time award. Eligibility for these grants remains tied to residency, demonstrated financial need, and satisfactory academic progress, while the total duration of aid is adjusted to reflect part-time enrollment status.
This bill creates a three-year pilot program called Jersey Protein Pro to train New Jersey residents for jobs in the meat processing industry, aiming to solve local labor shortages that currently force farmers to ship livestock out of state. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development will administer the program by awarding grants to county colleges and vocational schools to offer short-term courses in meat cutting, food safety, sanitation, and plant maintenance. Participating schools can use the $3 million appropriation to develop curricula and provide tuition assistance to students who agree to stay employed in the state for at least two years after finishing their training. The bill also requires regular reporting on how the funds are used and includes a final evaluation to determine if the program should be made permanent.
This bill updates New Jersey laws to require criminal history record checks for most paid school employees and volunteers who have regular contact with students under 18. It mandates that schools verify these individuals have no disqualifying criminal records before hiring, while also allowing districts to require checks for unpaid volunteers. The law lists specific offenses that would permanently disqualify an individual, including violent crimes, drug-related offenses, and crimes against minors, but includes a provision allowing applicants to challenge the accuracy of any disqualifying information found.
This bill creates a new fund within the New Jersey Department of Education to help public schools support students impacted by immigration enforcement activities. The fund will be financed through annual state appropriations, federal grants, and other available monies, and it will remain in place without expiring. Schools receiving money from this fund can use it to provide trauma-informed mental health services, address the effects of parental separation, and hire or train staff to deliver these supports. To ensure accountability, the Department of Education will determine how to distribute the money, and schools must report on how they use the funds.
