Bill Text: NJ A1913 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes School Security Task Force.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A1913 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A1913-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Jimenez, Assemblyman Danielsen, Assemblywoman Speight, Assemblyman Holley, Assemblywoman Lampitt, Assemblyman Chiaravalloti, Assemblywomen Jasey, Carter, McKnight, Assemblyman Giblin, Assemblywoman Tucker, Assemblymen DiMaio, Peterson, Assemblywoman B.DeCroce and Assemblyman Spearman
SYNOPSIS
Establishes School Security Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a School Security Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established a School Security Task Force. The purpose of the task force shall be to study the current state of school security and develop recommendations to improve school security and safety, and ensure a safe learning environment for students and school employees. The task force shall build upon the findings and recommendations included in the New Jersey School Security Task Force Report, issued in July 2015 pursuant to P.L.2013, c.142.
2. The task force shall consist of the following 11 members:
a. the Commissioner of Education, the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, or their designees;
b. Eight members who shall be appointed no later than the 30th day after the effective date of this act, as follows:
(1) four members appointed by the Governor, who shall include: one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association, one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association, and one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and
(2) four members of the public, two selected by the Governor who have demonstrated expertise in the development or implementation of school security standards or technology, one selected by the President of the Senate, and one selected by the Speaker of the General Assembly.
3. 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 reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its purposes.
4. The task force shall
organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members,
but no later than 60 days following 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.
5. The Department of Education shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff, as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force also 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. a. The task force shall assess overall school security needs, identify physical and cyber vulnerabilities and potential breaches of security in schools, make recommendations to improve school safety and security, and provide updates on the status of the implementation of the recommendations included in the July 2015 New Jersey School Security Task Force Report. The task force shall also identify and put forth recommendations regarding any new and emerging school security issues that were not detailed in the July 2015 New Jersey School Security Task Force Report.
b. In developing its recommendations, the task force shall: research effective strategies that have been employed in other states; refer to and incorporate existing State research, data, recommendations, and standards, including the School Safety and Security Plans Minimum Requirements set forth by the Department of Education, the September 2007 Final Report of the New Jersey K-12 School Security Task Force, and the July 2015 New Jersey School Security Task Force Report; and solicit public input.
c. The task force is authorized, within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purpose, to commission entities including, but not limited to, professional engineering firms and certified information systems professionals in identifying, interviewing, researching, and documenting security best practices.
7. The task force shall issue a final report within six months after its organizational meeting to the Governor, the State Board of Education, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation or regulations that it deems appropriate.
8. This act shall take effect immediately and the task force shall expire upon the issuance of the task force final report.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a School Security Task Force. The task force will build upon the work of the School Security Task Force established under P.L.2013, c.142 and which expired after the issuance of its final report in July of 2015. Under that law, the purpose of the task force was to study and develop recommendations to improve school security and safety, and to ensure a safe learning environment for students and school employees. The task force's final report included 42 recommendations aimed at enhancing safety and security in New Jersey schools. Since the issuance of the report, several of the recommendations put forth by the task force have been signed into law.
The School Security Task Force established under this bill will have a focus on reexamining the current state of school security in New Jersey and building upon the steps made to enhance school security since the release of the July 2015 New Jersey School Security Task Force Report. The task force will assess overall school security needs, identify physical and cyber vulnerabilities and potential breaches of security in schools, make recommendations to improve school safety and security, and provide updates on the status of the implementation of the recommendations provided in the July 2015 School Security Task Force Report. Additionally, the task force will identify and put forth recommendations regarding any new and emerging school security issues that were not detailed in that report.
The task force will consist of 11 members, namely: the Commissioner of Education; the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness; the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority; four members appointed by the Governor, each as recommended by the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and four members of the public, who include two members selected by the Governor with demonstrated expertise in the development or implementation of school security standards or technology, one selected by the President of the Senate, and one selected by the Speaker of the General Assembly.
The task force is required to issue a final report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education within six months of its organizational meeting. The report is to contain its findings and determinations, including any recommendations for legislation or regulations that it deems appropriate.
