Bill Text: NJ A3312 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Mandates biennial LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for certain educators, healthcare professionals, and State employees.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee [A3312 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A3312-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM B. SAMPSON, IV
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Mandates biennial LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for certain educators, healthcare professionals, and State employees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning LGBTQ+ cultural competency training and amending various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.32 (C. 18A:35-4.36a) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, each school district shall incorporate instruction on diversity and inclusion in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
b. The instruction shall:
(1) highlight and promote diversity, including economic diversity, equity, inclusion, tolerance, and belonging in connection with gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and religious tolerance;
(2) examine the impact that unconscious bias and economic disparities have at both an individual level and on society as a whole; and
(3) encourage safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students regardless of race or ethnicity, sexual and gender identities, mental and physical disabilities, and religious beliefs.
c. The Commissioner of Education shall provide school districts with sample learning activities and resources designed to promote diversity and inclusion.
d. As of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), in addition to the diversity and inclusion instruction provided pursuant to this section, the Commissioner of Education shall provide a required training module on LGBTQ+ competency for educators in grades kindergarten through 12 to be completed on a biennial basis. This module shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics:
1) LGBTQ+ identities and terminology;
2) Creating inclusive classrooms;
3) Responding to bullying and bias in the classroom as an educator; and
4) Supporting LGBTQ+ students' mental health.
(cf: P.L. 2021, c.32, s.1)
2. (New Section) Any health care professional licensed or certified pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes shall be required to complete a biennial LGBTQ+ cultural competency training that includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:
1) LGBTQ+ identities and terminology;
2) Creating inclusive environments in healthcare settings;
3) Responding to bias; and
4) Supporting LGBTQ+ patients' mental health.
3. (New section) All part-time, full-time, and contract State employees shall complete a biennial LGBTQ+ cultural competency training program provided by the State Ethics Commission. At a minimum, part-time, full-time, and contract State employees shall complete and acknowledge his or her completion of, a briefing on the LGBTQ+ cultural competency applicable to such part-time, full-time, or contract State employees pursuant to the laws, regulations, codes, orders, procedures, advisory opinions or rulings of this State. The format and content of the program and briefing shall be determined by the training officer of the State Ethics Commission and approved by the commission as provided in subsection (e) of section 10 of P.L.1971, c.182 (C.52:13D-21). The training program on LGBTQ+ cultural competency shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics:
1) LGBTQ+ identities and terminology;
2) Creating an inclusive workplace;
3) Responding to bias; and
4) Supporting LGBTQ+ mental health in the workplace.
4. This act shall take effect the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires certain educators, health care professionals, and State employees to undergo LGBTQ+ cultural competency training.
The bill modifies current law to require that the Commissioner of Education provide a mandatory biennial training module on LGBTQ+ competency for K-12 educators. The training for K-12 educators will include, but will not limited to, the following topics: LGBTQ+ identities and terminology; Creating inclusive classrooms; Responding to bullying and bias in the classroom as an educator; and Supporting LGBTQ+ students' mental health.
Under the bill, any health care professional licensed or certified pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes shall be required to complete a biennial LGBTQ+ cultural competency training that includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: LGBTQ+ identities and terminology; Creating inclusive environments in healthcare settings; Responding to bias; and Supporting LGBTQ+ patients' mental health.
The bill stipulates that all part-time, full-time, and contract State employees are required to bienniely compelte a LGBTQ+ cultural competency training program. The training program is to be provided by the State Ethics Commission. The training on LGBTQ+ cultural competency will include but not be limited to the following topics: LGBTQ+ identities and terminology; Creating an inclusive workplace; Responding to bias; and Supporting LGBTQ+ mental health in the workplace.
