Gun Reporting Requirement
An NJSBA-supported proposal gaining steam would expand reports on violence or vandalism that school districts submit to the state Department of Education.

The state Senate unanimously approved S-246 (Allen, Palaia) in March.  The Assembly Education Committee released the bill, along with its Assembly counterpart, A-3109 (Barnes), on June 15. The legislation is in position for a vote by the full Assembly.

The bill requires that districts’ annual violence and vandalism reports include information on the number of pupils removed from a school’s regular education program pursuant to the 1995 Zero Tolerance for Guns Act and the disposition of those cases by law enforcement or prosecuting agencies.

S-246/A-3109 would also direct the Commissioner of Education to establish a program to recognize successful intervention programs designed to decrease school violence.

Meningitis Fact Sheet
State Sen. Joseph J. Vitale has proposed a measure that would require the state to give parents of students in grades six through 12 information about meningococcal meningitis.

S-1461 would direct the state commissioners of Education and Health and Senior Services to create a fact sheet about meningitis for distribution to parents at the beginning of the next school year, and in fall 2007.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended that adolescents receive a vaccination for meningitis at ages 11 or 12, or before they enter high school.

Meningitis is a disease usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection with symptoms that typically include high fever, headaches and stiff neck. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, confusion, sleepiness, and discomfort when looking into bright lights. The bacterial form of the disease can be more severe and cause brain damage, hearing loss and learning disabilities, according to the CDC.

The proposal now advances to the full Senate for consideration.