This bill establishes New Jersey's Property Tax Relief and Education Empowerment Program, providing property tax relief to residents while offering educational grants to eligible students attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects low-income students (households earning ≤3.7x the federal poverty level for a family of four) who previously attended public school for at least 100 days and switch to a participating nonpublic school. The program provides grants equal to 50% of the public school district's per-pupil spending (capped at the nonpublic school's fees), paid directly to the nonpublic school by the student's resident district. This funding reduces the public school district's budget by the grant amount, with the savings used to lower local school taxes in the following year.
This bill revises the mandatory school transportation requirement for preschool through fourth-grade students in New Jersey. It changes the current 1.5-mile distance limit (where school districts must provide bus transportation) to a new, unspecified threshold. The policy directly affects families with young children living beyond the revised distance from their public school. School districts would no longer be required to provide transportation for students living within this new limit, shifting responsibility to families for those living closer. The bill focuses solely on adjusting the mileage threshold for transportation eligibility, without altering costs or other provisions.
This bill phases out New Jersey's State tuition aid grants for students attending for-profit colleges starting with the 2026-2027 academic year. Current students enrolled at these institutions who received aid before that year will continue to receive it until their eligibility ends, but new students at for-profit colleges will no longer qualify. The redirected funds will instead support the state's summer tuition aid program, which helps students cover costs during summer sessions at public colleges, community colleges, and other eligible institutions. The change takes effect immediately for the 2026-2027 academic year.
This bill establishes a $1 million grant program to expand mental health services for students connected to military families in New Jersey school districts. School districts with high concentrations of military-connected students (defined as those with parents in active duty, National Guard, or reserve components) can apply for grants to fund additional counseling, mental health outreach, and support for students when parents are deployed. Grants must be used to enhance existing services, with districts required to demonstrate need and report on program impact, including student outcomes. The program requires the Department of Education to administer grants and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill creates anonymous safe havens for abandoned pets by allowing anyone to leave domestic companion animals (like dogs or cats) at shelters, veterinary hospitals, or police stations without disclosing their identity or providing animal history. Facilities must accept the animals and provide necessary care, but are not required to reunite them with owners or attempt to identify previous caregivers. It also mandates public education through school materials for grades 3-12 and a 24-hour hotline to inform people about the safe haven process. The law directly affects pet owners unable to care for their animals and facilities that receive abandoned pets, aiming to prevent unnecessary suffering.
This bill limits annual tuition and fee increases for in-state undergraduate and graduate students at New Jersey's public colleges and universities to no more than 4% above the previous academic year's rates. It directly affects all resident students enrolled in public higher education institutions across the state. The key provision requires public institutions to cap all resident tuition and fees (including professional programs like law, medicine, and business) at a 4% maximum annual increase. The policy applies starting with the 2017-2018 academic year and remains in effect for all subsequent years.
This bill requires New Jersey public school districts to appoint a mental health specialist for student-athletes. The specialist must conduct three mental health screenings per season using approved tools (with parental consent), provide ongoing support for injured athletes, and develop a school mental health policy for coaches and staff. It also mandates the creation of a state registry for aggregated, non-identifiable data collected from screenings. The bill directly affects all public schools with athletic programs and aims to integrate mental health support into student-athlete participation.
This bill requires New Jersey public school districts with grades 9-12 to include lessons on compulsive gambling risks within their required health education curriculum. The instruction must cover gambling addiction dangers, financial risks, and probability concepts. The state education commissioner will provide sample lesson materials and develop teacher training on identifying gambling issues and treatment resources. Implementation begins the school year after the next state curriculum review, not immediately.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to remove conservation restrictions from property when the owner needs the land for expanding a special needs school, provided they also establish a new conservation restriction on a parcel at least twice as large within 20 miles. It applies specifically to properties with restrictions tied to Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permits. The new restriction must protect land similarly to the original. This creates a trade-off between development for education and expanded conservation coverage.
This bill expands New Jersey's definition of "harassment, intimidation or bullying" to explicitly include hazing. It requires all public school districts to revise their anti-bullying policies to address power imbalances between students and incorporate this updated definition. The bill directs the Department of Education to revise its guidance documents and model policies to reflect these changes. These updates apply to all public school districts and students, mandating specific policy components, standardized incident reporting forms, and procedures for handling complaints.
