New Jersey-2022-A1680-Introduced

An Act establishing the "School Opening and School Closing Student Safety Task Force."

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. There is established a School Opening and School Closing Student Safety Task Force. The task force shall consist of 12 members, including: the Commissioner of Education, ex officio, or a designee; one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force; and nine public members appointed by the Governor, including one representative from each of the following: the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; the New Jersey Education Association; the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; the New Jersey School Boards Association; the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; the New Jersey Charter Schools Association; the Advisory Committee for Nonpublic Schools of the Department of Education; and two parents of students, one of whom attends a public school and one of whom attends a nonpublic school.

2. All appointments shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of funds made available to the task force for its purposes.

3. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members, but not later than 60 days after the effective date of this act. The task force shall choose a chairperson from among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.

4. It shall be the duty of the task force to assess the public safety of students when schools are opening or closing for the school day. The task force shall study and consider issues including, but not limited to:

a. an evaluation of student-arrival and student-departure practices in New Jersey schools, as well as a review of existing research and best practices, to ensure students:

(1) are properly accounted for during the loading and unloading procedure for their assigned school bus, or being picked up or dropped off at the school by a parent or guardian; and

(2) are loaded onto and unloaded from school buses, or a parent's or guardian's vehicle, in areas away from other vehicles or areas that could endanger the physical well-being of students;

b. changes in traffic patterns or congestion associated with school openings and closings and the possible impact on student safety; and

c. an examination of whether adequate personnel are provided during the opening and closing of the school, including an evaluation of the need for a municipal police presence during student-arrival and student-departure.

5. Staff and related support services shall be provided to the task force by the Department of Education. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.

6. The task force shall issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than one year after the task force organizes.

7. This act shall take effect immediately and the task force shall expire 30 days after the submission of the final report.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a 12-member School Opening and School Closing Student Safety Task Force. The task force will be composed of: the Commissioner of Education, or his designee; one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force; and nine public members appointed by the Governor, including one representative from each of the following: the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; the New Jersey Education Association; the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; the New Jersey School Boards Association; the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; the New Jersey Charter Schools Association; the Advisory Committee for Nonpublic Schools of the Department of Education; and two parents of students, one enrolled in a public school and one enrolled in a nonpublic school.

Under the bill, the task force will assess the safety of students when schools are opening and closing for the school day. The task force will examine issues including, but not limited to:

� an evaluation of student-arrival and student-departure practices in New Jersey schools, as well as a review of existing research and best practices, to ensure students: (1) are properly accounted for when being loaded onto and unloaded from their assigned school bus, or being picked up or dropped off by a parent or guardian; and (2) are loaded onto and unloaded from school buses, or a parent's or guardian's vehicle, in areas away from other vehicles or areas that could endanger the physical wellbeing of students;

� changes in traffic patterns or congestion associated with school openings and closings and the possible impact on student safety; and

� an examination of whether adequate personnel are provided during the opening and closing of the school, including an evaluation of the need for a municipal police presence during student-arrival and student-departure.

The bill directs the task force to issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after the task force organizes.