Bill Text: NJ A4529 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires school districts, staff, and volunteers to have COVID-19 test prior to start of 2020-2021 school year.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-08-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A4529 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4529-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires school district students, staff, and volunteers to have COVID-19 test prior to start of 2020-2021 school year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public schools and COVID-19 testing.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A board of education shall require that each enrolled student, school district employee, volunteer, and student teacher has a COVID-19 test within no more than one week prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The board of education shall not allow a student, school district employee, volunteer, or student teacher in school buildings or on school grounds unless he provides evidence of the test.
b. The Department of Education shall establish a COVID-19 test tracking system to be used by school districts to ensure compliance with the provisions of this act.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a board of education is to require that all enrolled students, school district employees, volunteers, and student teachers have a COVID-19 test within one week prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The board may not allow a student, employee, volunteer, or student teacher in school buildings or on school grounds unless he provides evidence of the test.
The bill directs the Department of Education to establish a COVID-19 test tracking system that school districts will use to ensure that each student, employee, volunteer, and student teacher has had the required COVID-19 testing.
On June 26, 2020, the Department of Education issued its guidance for reopening public schools: "The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education." Based upon this guidance, in-person instruction will resume across the State in various forms for the 2020-2021 school year. As such, it is imperative that testing be a part of the return to school in order to mitigate the potential spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 and ensure the health and safety of children, families, and the school community.
