Bill Text: NJ A2824 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs Attorney General to establish "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" for interscholastic sports teams similar to requirement that Attorney General establish "Pledge's Bill of Rights" for fraternities and sororities at institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-01 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A2824 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A2824-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Directs Attorney General to establish "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" for interscholastic sports teams similar to requirement that Attorney General establish "Pledge's Bill of Rights" for fraternities and sororities at institutions of higher education.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning student-athletes and supplementing chapter 11 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. There is a long and well-documented history of the benefits derived from participating in high school athletics. In addition to providing healthy forms of exercise, interscholastic sports often serve an integral role in the development of students by fostering friendships and camaraderie, promoting sportsmanship and fair play, and instilling the value of competition.
b. The benefits and values of interscholastic sports programs should be actively promoted while ensuring the safety of the students who participate in those programs.
c. The well-being and safety of student-athletes participating in interscholastic sports programs requires a delineation of the responsibilities of those who oversee interscholastic sports teams and a declaration of a bill of rights for those student-athletes who participate in interscholastic sports.
2. The Attorney General shall develop a "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" which outlines acceptable and unacceptable behavior and activities in regard to participation in interscholastic sports programs. In developing the bill of rights, the Attorney General shall review the existing policy of each school district designed to prohibit harassment, intimidation, and bullying as required pursuant to P.L.2002, c.83 (C.18A:37-13 et seq.). The Attorney General shall make the "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" available to each school district and nonpublic school that participates in a Statewide interscholastic sports program sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
3. The bill of rights developed by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of this act shall include information on the criminal penalties for hazing and aggravated hazing as set forth in P.L.1980, c.169 (C.2C:40-3 et seq.).
4. A school district and nonpublic school that participates in a Statewide interscholastic sports program sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association shall annually disseminate the "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" to each student enrolled in the district or nonpublic school who participates in interscholastic sports, to the student's parent or guardian, and to coaches, athletic directors, and athletic trainers.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Attorney General to establish a "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" which outlines acceptable and unacceptable behavior and activities in regard to participation in an interscholastic sports program. In January of 1992, the Legislature adopted legislation requiring the Attorney General to develop a "Pledge's Bill of Rights" which outlined acceptable and unacceptable behavior and activities in regard to the pledge or rushing activities of college and university fraternities and sororities and other similar campus organizations. This bill directs the Attorney General to establish a similar bill of rights applicable to student-athletes who participate in interscholastic sports programs. In 2014, incidents of hazing on the Sayerville War Memorial High School football team led to the arrest of several players, the suspension of the coaching staff, and the cancellation of its remaining football season. These incidents prompted the sponsor to pursue legislation similar to the Pledge's Bill of Rights applicable to high school athletes.
Under the bill, the Attorney General will review the existing policy of each school district designed to prohibit harassment, intimidation, and bullying. The Attorney General will make the "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" available to each school district and nonpublic school that participates in a Statewide interscholastic sports program sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).
The bill of rights is required to include information on the criminal penalties for hazing and aggravated hazing.
Each school district and nonpublic school that participates in a Statewide interscholastic sports program sanctioned by the NJSIAA must annually disseminate the "Student-Athlete's Bill of Rights" to each student enrolled in the district or nonpublic school who participates in interscholastic sports, to the student's parent or guardian, and to coaches, athletic directors, and athletic trainers.
