NJEA has taken a position on a number of current legislative issues that impact public education, public school students, and school employees.
To look up the text of a bill, please go to the New Jersey legislature’s website, https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/, and use the bill search on the right-hand side.
ACR 216: Condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred
ACR 216 Condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred ACR 216 (Verrelli, Schaer, Murphy) NJEA strongly Continue reading
AJR 208 SJR 109: Condemns hate and violent extremism and commits to defense of safe and just democracy
A 1625 S 2854: Directes DOE to develop outreach program to encourage young women and minorities to pursue post-secondary degrees and career in STEM
A 4836: Establishes task force to evaluate quality, efficacy, costs, and educational outcomes of online courses offered by public and independent institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions during COVID-19 pandemic
A 4856: Requires Internet websites and web services of school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to be accessible to persons with disabilities
A 4789: Establishes Safe and Equitable Remote Learning Pilot Program in DOE to support provision of remote learning safe havens by certain school districts
A 1055: Establishes five-year community schools pilot program
A 3394 S 237 S 854
S 237: Requires new civics instruction in middle and high schools; requires school districts to use DOE’s curriculum guidelines for civics; and requires DOE to provide funding to enhance civics instruction
A 3394/S 854: “Laura Wooten’s Law”; Requires civics instruction in middle school; authorizes New Jersey Center for Civic Education to provide curricula, professional development and technical assistance for middle and high school civics and provides annual center funding
AR 239 SR 120: Condemns inflammatory rhetoric and abuse targeted at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and recognizes contributions of these individuals and communities in New Jersey
A 2863 / S 968 A 5343:
A 2863 / S 968: Requires public water systems to provide notice of elevated lead levels in drinking water to customers and local officials; requires landlords to notify tenants of elevated lead levels
A 5343: Requires public community water systems to inventory and replace lead service lines within 10 years; provides for recoupment of costs by investor-owned public water systems
AR 239 SR 120: Condemns inflammatory rhetoric and abuse targeted at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and recognizes contributions of these individuals and communities in New Jersey
A 5374: Directs DOE to request waiver of certain student academic assessment requirements from federal government
A 5147: Establishes Alleviating Learning Loss in New Jersey Grant Program in DOE to assist public schools in establishing or expanding certain educational programs to address learning loss in students
A 2487 S 989: “Healthy Terminals Act”; requires certain airport and train station workers to be paid certain wage rates and benefits
S 2259 A 970: Establishes Mental Health Screening in Schools Grant Program in DOE; appropriates $1 million
A 5295 S 2832: Allows student enrolled in institution of higher education who has completed 30 semester-hour credits to serve as substitute teacher
A 2293: Requires institutions of higher education to implement suicide prevention programs and raise awareness of mental health services
A 4783: Requires DOE to establish Alternate Route Interstate Reciprocity Pilot Program
A 4433 A 4434 A 4436 A 4437
A4433: Creates grant program to encourage school districts to partner with institutions of higher education in training school-based mental health services providers
A 4434: Establishes Student Wellness Grant Program in DOE
A 4436- Establishes “Student Mental Health Task Force” to study resources available to schools and parents to address student mental health needs
A 4437: Permits certain mental health professionals working in school districts to refer or help facilitate referral of students to private professional counselors
A 2455: Establishes pilot program in DOE to support FIRST Robotics Programs in school districts
A 2293: Requires institutions of higher education to implement suicide prevention programs and raise awareness of mental health services
A 4783: Grants reciprocity to teachers with certain out-of-state certificates
A 1184 A 4414: Requires public schools and charter schools to report student disciplinary actions to Commissioner of Education; requires DOE to establish database and complete annual report concerning student disciplinary actions
A 4975: Postpones New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) review for certain school districts to accommodate disruption due to COVID-19 pandemic
A 4545: Requires school districts to include instruction on certain events involving racial discrimination and social justice as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies for middle school students
A 4454: Requires school districts to provide instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education
A 1184 A 4414: A 1184 – Requires school districts and charter schools to report discipline data on their websites and to Commissioner of Education A 4414 – Requires public schools to report all student disciplinary actions; requires DOE to establish database and compile annual report concerning disparities in student disciplinary actions
A 3392: Requires student representative be appointed to each board of education of school district that includes high school
A 4603: Extends deadline for completion and filing of annual audit of school district 2019-2020 school year
A 3601 S 1028: Allocates Amistad Commission in but not of DOE; requires commission to elect chairperson and appoint executive director; requires public schools to include instruction on accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to American society
AR 92: Urges Congress to pass “Community Broadband Act.”
AR 139: Condemns hate and bias crime
S 321: Requires certain residential developers to replace lead service lines
A 4410: Establishes Community College Opportunity Grant Program in Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to provide last-dollar financial aid grants to county college students and Student Success Incentive funding to county colleges
AJR 172: Establishes task force to study racial bias within criminal justice system
AJR 172: Establishes task force to study racial bias within criminal justice system
A 1070 A 1625: A1070- Requires Secretary of Higher Education to develop guidance for institutions of higher education to identify cultural barriers in recruitment and retention of underrepresented students for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs A1625- Directs DOE to develop outreach program to encourage young women and minorities to pursue post-secondary degrees and careers in STEM
A 850: Establishes “Community Broadband Study Commission”
A 4310:Requires Division of Local Government Services to approve local unit budgets with excess anticipated miscellaneous revenue due to COVID-19 and authorizes school districts to maintain surplus at four percent for 2020-2021 school year
A 4461: Requires State to enter into contract for COVID-19 related goods and services for purchase by school districts
A 2212 S 232: Requires DEP to evaluate environmental and public health stressors of certain facilities on overburdened communities when reviewing certain permit applications
AR 178: Urges Congress to pass legislation to remove Confederate statues in US Capitol building
A 4389 S 2676: Requires certain entities authorized to issue health benefits plans to pay annual assessment
ACR 190: Petitions federal government for emergency response funding to support safe reopening of schools following COVID-19 pandemic
AR 149: Urges President and Congress of United States to continue federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
A 3548: Requires health benefits coverage for adolescent depression screenings
S 2558 A 4227: Ensures insurance coverage for certain persons attending school graduation exercises in July and August of 2020
AJR 171: Designates July 13th as “Black Lives Matter Day” in New Jersey
S 2273 A 20: Requires SEHBP and eligible employers that do not participate in the SEHBP to provide certain plans for public education employees and certain public education retirees
S 993 A 631 S2303 A4140: Concerns subcontracting agreements entered into by public school districts and county colleges
S 1715: Requires new flooring for schools and child care centers to be certified mercury free
S 1715 Requires new flooring for schools and child care centers to be certified mercury free S 1715 (Lagana) NJEA supports developing Continue reading