While school board members took to Atlantic City for NJSBA’s Workshop 2026, the Legislature continued its routine business back in Trenton. The Senate held a voting session on Oct. 22 that resulted in an education-related bill being sent to the Governor. Meanwhile, several other committees met over the last few weeks and approved legislation relevant to boards of education.
The New Jersey School Boards Association is monitoring all bills relevant to boards of education and will continue to post timely Legislative Updates in School Board Notes to highlight recent legislative action. For recordings of committee meetings and the most up-to-date information regarding specific legislation, please visit the New Jersey Legislature’s website.
New Law
Governor Sherrill signed the following bill into law on Tuesday, Oct. 27:
New Jersey History Day Act S-4307/A-5251 (P.L.2026, c.100), known as the “New Jersey History Day Act,” designates December 18 of each year as “New Jersey History Day.” The law permits each school district to annually observe “New Jersey History Day” by commemorating the state’s history through appropriate instructional activities aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies. The law also provides that the New Jersey Historical Commission, in consultation with the Department of Education, will develop and distribute resource materials for school districts, promote statewide participation in the celebration of “New Jersey History Day,” and provide grants to support appropriate programs and activities to observe “New Jersey History Day.”
The NJSBA supported the bill.
On the Governor’s Desk
Following a Senate voting session on Thursday, Oct. 22, the following bill now awaits the governor’s signature:
Outreach for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals A-5439/S-4664 would amend the FY2027 appropriations act to require 2.5 percent of the appropriation for the Working Class Families State Supplement to be utilized for informational and outreach activities to increase awareness of the program. The Working Class Families State Supplement supports expanded eligibility for the free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch program for families with household income between 186 percent and 224 percent of the federal poverty level. The FY2027 appropriations act appropriated $15 million to the Department of Agriculture for this purpose; this bill would require the department to use $375,000 of that appropriation for informational and outreach purposes.
The NJSBA supports the bill, which was previously passed by the Assembly on Sept. 24.
Senate Voting Session
The Senate held a voting session on Thursday, Oct. 22 and – in addition to the bill above – passed the following education-related legislation:
Online Reporting of HIB S-4102 would require each district’s policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying to include a procedure that permits a person to electronically report an act of HIB using an online reporting form, which would be accessible on the district’s website. The bill would also require the Commissioner of Education to adopt amendments to its existing HIB model policy to establish procedures for online reporting. The bill would build on existing law (P.L.2021, c.338) that requires districts to provide a means for parents/guardians to complete an online form developed by NJDOE to confidentially report a HIB incident.
The NJSBA supports the bill.
Automatic Acceptance to Local County College S-4128 would require each county college to provide an offer of admission to each graduating county resident in grade 12 who is enrolled in a public or nonpublic school. Admission to a county college would not guarantee admission to any specific major or program of study, and county colleges would not be able to require students to submit a separate application or pay an application fee.
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill.
Enrollment of Twins in Preschool S-4349 would permit a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in public preschool operated by a school district, Head Start program, or licensed childcare provider to select shared or separate classroom placements for their children. The bill would additionally permit the parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples to request that the twins or higher order multiples be treated as one unit in a public preschool lottery system or open enrollment.
The NJSBA supports the bill. Its counterpart in the Assembly, A-5218, was approved by the Assembly Education Committee on Oct. 15.
Bullying Prevention Month SJR-57 would designate October of each year as “Bullying Prevention Month” in New Jersey.
The NJSBA supports the resolution.
Assembly Appropriations Committee
The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on Thursday, Oct. 22 and approved the following bills relevant to boards of education:
Fiscal Oversight Reform Package The committee approved the following package of bills – sponsored by Assemblywoman Bagolie – focused on fiscal oversight and budgeting reform:
- A-5205/A-5208 would establish certain valuation and reporting mechanisms related to school district liabilities for accumulated unused leave, including: 1) requiring a school district, in its annual audit, to calculate the total value of accrued liabilities for compensated absences of district employees; 2) requiring a school district to maintain a current schedule of accrued liabilities for compensated absences that details various information and to provide that report to the board of education monthly and quarterly; 3) requiring the Commissioner of Education to examine a school district’s level of liabilities for compensated absences; and 4) permitting a board of education to establish a leave liability reserve account to be used to finance the payment of accumulated unused absences for which an employee may be compensated. The bill would also authorize a board of education to establish a cost stabilization reserve account to finance unanticipated increases in total health care costs, student transportation expenses, and special education and related services. Finally, the bill would permit a board of education to apply to the Commissioner of Education for approval to make mid-year budget adjustments to address significant unanticipated cost increases in general fund expenses.
- A-5206 would establish procedures to be followed by chief school administrators, school business administrators, boards of education, and school employees related to the financial management and fiscal stability of districts. These new procedures would include quarterly reconciliations of a district’s position control roster by the chief school administrator; the required adoption of a board policy regarding the reporting of fiscal concerns in a district; and additional training for school business administrators and board of education members concerning school budgeting, governmental accounting, and financial commitments. As amended, the bill would also require a purchasing agent to certify that a board of education has acted in accordance with the provisions of the Public School Contracts Law prior to the awarding or approval of a purchase, contract, or agreement, and if the board has not done so, the purchasing agent would be required to file a report with the Office of Controversies and Disputes within NJDOE.
- A-5207 would expand the duties of the executive county business official and establish processes for the fiscal review of school districts by the executive county superintendent and the Commissioner of Education. The bill would require the executive county business official to, on a rolling basis, conduct fiscal reviews of each school district under its purview on a timeline established by the executive county superintendent, and would require the establishment of corrective action plans for certain school districts whose fiscal reviews identify significant fiscal concerns in two consecutive reviews. The bill would also require the commissioner, in consultation with the State Comptroller, to develop and administer a Comprehensive Statewide Fiscal Early Warning System to monitor financial risk indicators to enable timely and structured intervention of districts that are at risk of financial distress.
The NJSBA provided verbal testimony on the bill package. The Association expressed appreciation for numerous components of the package, including: the ability for boards of education to establish leave liability reserve accounts and cost stabilization reserve accounts, which will give boards additional tools to achieve financial flexibility; periodic review of position control rosters; expanded capacity of executive county business officials; and the development of a fiscal early warning system, which may help districts anticipate and proactively address potential fiscal difficulties. At the same time, the NJSBA expressed a need to further ensure that school districts have the resources and capacity to execute these additional oversight measures with fidelity.
Assembly Education Committee
The Assembly Education Committee met on Thursday, Oct. 15 and – unless otherwise noted – approved the following bills relevant to boards of education:
Hiring Veterans as Coaches A-1429 would allow a board of education to employ an eligible veteran who does not hold a New Jersey teaching certificate or substitute credential in a full-time or part-time coaching position in the school district’s interscholastic athletic program. As amended, the bill would clarify that an eligible veteran must undergo a criminal history record check pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1.
The NJSBA supports the bill.
Administration of Nasal Seizure Rescue Mediation A-4676 would update and expand P.L.2019, c.290 (“Paul’s Law”), which concerns the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders. The bill would require a board of education to develop a policy in accordance with guidelines established by the Department of Education for the emergency administration of nasal seizure rescue medication and the emergency use of a manual vagus nerve stimulator on a student with a seizure disorder. Pursuant to the policy, the school nurse would be required to have the primary responsibility for the administration of rescue medication and would be required to designate at least two additional employees of the school district who volunteer to administer the rescue medication on a student when the school nurse is not physically present at the scene. The bill would require a certified school nurse to ensure that the designees have been properly trained; the parents of the student consent in writing to the administration of the rescue medication by the designees; and the parents are informed in writing and sign a statement acknowledging that the district and its employees have no liability as a result of any injury arising from the administration of the rescue medication. Finally, the bill would require the Department of Education to take appropriate action to ensure that each school district incorporates age-appropriate education on epilepsy and seizure disorders at least once between kindergarten and third grade and at least once between grades six and 12.
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill.
Procurement of Electronic Library Materials A-4956 would prohibit contracts for the procurement and licensing of electronic literary materials between public libraries and publishers, distributors, and any other entity selling or licensing electronic literary material to a public library from including a provision which precludes, limits, or restricts the library from performing customary operational or lending functions; restricts the library from disclosing any terms of the contract to other public libraries, the Legislature, or Attorney General; or requires, coerces, or enables a public library to violate a provision of current law which, except in certain circumstances, prohibits the disclosure of library records which contain the names or other personally identifiable details regarding the users of the libraries.
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill.
Enrollment of Twins in Preschool A-5218, as amended, would permit a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in public preschool operated by a school district, Head Start program, or licensed childcare provider to select shared or separate classroom placements for their children. The bill would additionally permit the parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples to request that the twins or higher order multiples be treated as one unit in a public preschool lottery system or open enrollment.
The NJSBA supports the bill. Its counterpart in the Senate, S-4349, was approved by the Senate Education Committee on Oct. 1.
New Jersey Imagination Library Program A-5518 would establish the New Jersey Imagination Library Program in the Division of Early Childhood Services within NJDOE to improve early childhood literacy by establishing a statewide initiative to encourage eligible children to read. The program – modeled off Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – would provide a high-quality, age-appropriate book monthly at no cost to any New Jersey child enrolled in the program under five years old. The bill would also establish the New Jersey Imagination Library Fund in NJDOE, which would be annually credited with funds appropriated by the Legislature and any public or private donations. The bill would appropriate $2 million to the Fund.
The NJSBA supports the bill.
Restraint and Seclusion A-1317 was heard “For Discussion Only” and therefore did not receive a committee vote. The bill would amend P.L.2017, c.291, which established certain requirements in the event that a school district, educational services commission, or approved private school for students with disabilities chose to utilize physical restraint or a seclusion technique on a student with disabilities. In addition to existing requirements, the bill would require those schools to request a meeting with the parent or guardian of a student who has been subjected to physical restraint or seclusion on more than one occasion; in the case of seclusion, to immediately notify the student’s parent or guardian (already required for physical restraint); and to provide a full written report of an incident of seclusion to the student’s parent or guardian within 48 hours (already required for physical restraint). The bill would also extend all the current and proposed requirements to incidents of physical restraint or seclusion involving non-classified students. Finally, the bill would direct NJDOE to establish guidelines on adequate physical requirements for a seclusion area and to annually collect and publish data on physical restraint and seclusion.
The NJSBA is monitoring the bill.
The Assembly Education Committee also held a joint committee meeting on Thursday, Oct. 22 with the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee and the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee to receive testimony from invited guests on the affordability, accessibility, and stability of New Jersey’s child care system.
Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee
The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee met on Thursday, Oct. 15. The following bill was added to the committee’s agenda “For Discussion Only” and therefore did not receive a committee vote:
Public School Employees’ Health Benefits Trust Act S-4438 was heard “For Discussion Only” and therefore did not receive a committee vote. Among many provisions, the bill would sunset state health plans currently administered through the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) and would transition all school districts – regardless of whether they currently participate in SEHBP – into a new state health plan administered through a Public School Employees’ Health Benefits Trust. The bill would create a Board under the new Trust and would allow it – but not require it – to change plan design. The bill would also make permanent the provision from P.L.2020, c.44 (“Chapter 44”) that employees pay a percentage of their salary towards health benefits, which is set to expire at the end of 2027.
The NJSBA expressed numerous concerns with the bill through verbal testimony in front of the committee and in written comments submitted to the bills’ sponsors. The NJSBA is acutely aware of the challenges rising health care costs are placing on member districts and appreciates the sponsors’ leadership on this matter. However, the Association does not believe that S-4438, in its current form, will achieve the desired outcome of mitigating pressure on district budgets. The NJSBA is concerned about the continuation of Chapter 44’s percentage of salary contribution for employees; while Chapter 44 has delivered significant financial relief for employees, it has done nothing to produce long-term savings for boards of education and taxpayers, which have been forced to absorb nearly all of the increase in premiums since the law went into effect. Additionally, with the proposed continuation of Chapter 44, this bill would undermine the ability of boards of education to have honest conversations with their employees and develop solutions to mitigate the impact of rising health care costs. S-4438 also has no clear cost controls, which is an issue given the current plan offerings are too rich and expensive. Finally, while the NJSBA understands the benefits of greater risk pooling, the bill’s proposed mandatory participation in the state plan for all districts would unfairly punish some who have been able to find less expensive rates outside of the state plan and would prohibit districts from being able to find such rates elsewhere in the future. This runs contrary to the Legislature’s and Governor’s commitment to making New Jersey more affordable. For more details, please see NJSBA’s written testimony. (Note: On Oct. 1, Gov. Sherrill announced the formation of the State Health Benefits Program Reform Working Group, which has already had its first meeting. The NJSBA is one of the stakeholder organizations represented in this Working Group. For more details, see School Board Notes from earlier this month.)
To view the full text of any of the bills summarized above, please visit the New Jersey Legislature’s website.
