Bill Text: NJ A4067 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs Attorney General to provide annual training to public and nonpublic school students and staff on roles and responsibilities before, during, and after school emergencies.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee [A4067 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4067-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY F. MUŅOZ
District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS
District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Directs Attorney General to provide annual training to public and nonpublic school students and staff on roles and responsibilities before, during, and after school emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school security training for public and nonpublic school students and staff and amending P.L.2009, c.178.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2009, c.178 (C.18A:41-7) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall ensure that all full-time employees in the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school are provided with training on school safety and security that includes instruction on school security drills. The training shall model the training provided by the New Jersey School Safety Specialist Academy established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2017, c.162 (C.18A:17-43.2), use the drill guide and training materials prepared pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2009, c.178 (C.App.A:9-86), and utilize various formats such as drills, functional exercises, and tabletop exercises. The annual training provided to employees shall be conducted by the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school in consultation with emergency responders, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, in order to identify weaknesses in school safety and security policies and procedures and to increase the effectiveness of emergency responders.
b. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall ensure that individuals employed in the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school in a substitute capacity are provided with information and training on the district's, receiving school's, or nonpublic school's practices and procedures on school safety and security including instruction on school security drills, evacuation procedures, and emergency response protocols in the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school and the school building where the individuals are employed. In the event that an individual is employed in a substitute capacity in the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school at the time the school safety and security training is being provided to full-time employees pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school shall include the individual in the training.
c. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall provide, to the extent permitted by federal law, to all persons who supervise youth programs that are not sponsored by the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school, but operate a program in a district, receiving school, or nonpublic school building before or after school hours, on the weekend, or during a period when school is not in session, information on school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school practices and procedures in the event of a school safety or security incident at a school including non-confidential information on evacuation procedures, emergency response protocols, and emergency contact information. The information provided to persons who supervise youth programs pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall not include student records. It shall be the responsibility of the organization that sponsors the youth program to train the program's employees and volunteers on the school security and emergency procedures in effect in the school building in which the youth program is located. The organization that sponsors the youth program shall file a statement of assurance with the school district superintendent, chief school administrator of the receiving school, or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school that it has complied with the training requirements prior to the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school authorizing the use of the school building. The statement of assurance shall be developed by the Commissioner of Education and shall be filed with the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school on an annual basis.
d. Any information or training provided pursuant to this section shall address the unique needs of students with disabilities in the event of a fire drill, school security drill, or actual emergency situation. An employee subject to the provisions of subsections a. or b. of this section shall be made aware of any anticipated mobility, sensory, medical, social, communication, emotional, regulatory, and decision-making support needs of students in the care of the employee and any supports, modifications, accommodations, and services to be provided to students, as enumerated in their individualized education programs, individualized health care plans, 504 plans, or service plans pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2023, c.212 (C.18A:46-2.15).
e. As used in this section, "receiving school" means an educational services commission, jointure commission, regional day school, county special services school district, the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf, approved private school for students with disabilities, and public college operated programs for students with disabilities.
f. The Office of the Attorney General, in conjunction with the Department of Education, shall provide annual training, including current best practices, to all employees and students of school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools on the roles and responsibilities of students and staff before, during, and after a school emergency. A school emergency shall include lockdowns, bomb threat evacuations, active shooter incidents, and other identifiable threats.
The training required pursuant to this subsection shall be provided in a face-to-face format on a regional basis and shall also be available online. The training shall include information on: the establishment of an incident command system; multi-hazard emergency planning for schools; and options-based response protocols that provide options beyond the standard school lockdown.
The Department of Education shall annually disseminate to school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools a calendar that details the dates, times, and regional locations where the training shall be provided and information on the training that may be accessed online.
(cf: P.L.2023, c.212, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect in the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Office of the Attorney General, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to provide annual training, including current best practices, to all full-time employees and students of school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools on the roles and responsibilities of students and staff before, during, and after a school emergency. A school emergency will include lockdowns, bomb threat evacuations, active shooter incidents, and other identifiable threats. The training must be provided in a face-to-face format on a regional basis and must also be made available online.
The bill directs the Department of Education to annually disseminate to school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools a calendar that details the dates, times, and regional locations where the training will be provided, and information on the training that may be accessed online.
