As the school calendar finally reads “summer recess”, the State Legislature is working toward its June 30 deadline to pass the FY 2027 State Budget. This week, a budget deal was reached in concept by the Governor and legislative leadership. The outline of the 60.7 billion spending plan was announced at a press event this week. Although specific details are not yet available, Sherrill and legislative leaders announced that the spending plan will include a full pension payment, expanded child tax credits, and reductions in the structural budget deficit. Once the budget bill is introduced and enacted, NJPSA will provide more details on this final agreement.
Additionally, several committee meetings took place this week where education bills were considered. On June 23rd, the Assembly Appropriations Committee considered these bills impacting students and schools:
- A-4013 (Katz) Requires certain social media platforms to take certain actions concerning user mental health
This bill seeks to enact some recommendations of the NJ Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents. NJPSA sat on this Commission. Specifically, the bill charges the Social Media Research Center, in coordination with the newly-created Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness, to research and make recommendations concerning the impact of addictive social media behaviors among children, warning labels on social media websites and related issues. A final report from the Social Media Center is due within 18 months. This bill and its Senate companion, SCS 3412 are pending votes in both houses.
- ACS- 4014 (Katz) Establishes Social Media Research Center at four-year institution of higher education
This related bill creates the Social Media Research Center within a four-year higher education institution to be selected by the Secretary of Higher Education in collaboration with the Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness within the Department of Health. Its purpose is to research and collaborate on interdisciplinary research to understand social media use, mitigate the negative effects of social media use among young people and promote healthy and responsible social media use.
- A5153 (Schnall) Requires unexpended State aid for nonpublic school nursing services and nonpublic school security services to be used to support nonpublic school transportation services.
This bill seeks to allow non-public schools the flexibility to utilize monies not fully used up in providing nursing services to cover gaps in transportation services, and vice versa. At present they do not have this flexibility and any funds left over in one area at the end of the year must be returned to the state, regardless of need in other areas. A recent amendment to the bill also requires that any unexpended school security aid returned to the state be used to increase the maximum per pupil transportation cost provided in the following year. NJPSA took no position on this measure. It advanced out of committee and awaits consideration by the full General Assembly.
- A3881 (Coughlin) Requires Commissioner of Education to take certain action concerning preliminary State school aid notices and school district budgets and creates New Jersey Education Funding Portal; modifies certain provisions in school funding law.
This bill is an effort by the Speaker to increase transparency in the school funding process and formula, to codify enhanced notification of individual district funding, and to implement a lookback period in various areas of the funding formula to mitigate single-year impacts that result in large aid swings. NJPSA has provided feedback and testimony on this bill at various stages in the legislative process and we continue to have questions about the intent and potential effect of certain provisions. However, we were unable to engage in this case as the bill was removed from consideration shortly before the Committee hearing began. Its current status is unclear.
- A-5236 (Carter) Establishes School-based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids Program in Department of Children and Families, requires school districts to develop mental health support and partnership programs; appropriates $44 million
NJPSA has actively advocated on this legislation with the Governor’s office and both Senate and Assembly sponsors and leadership. The bill was favorably released by the Assembly Appropriations Committee even as further meetings and amendments were under consideration. The legislation is still a “work in progress” as evidenced by the fact that the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee held the bill in committee on June 24 to permit continued work on amendments. Essentially, the bill seeks to provide a framework for student mental health services in schools transitioning from the current NJ4S model to a potentially new program called SPARK as announced by Governor Sherrill in her March Budget Address. The bill includes a pilot program to develop the details of the SPARK program. NJPSA has advocated for the full funding of the NJ4S system and continuation of that program during the 2026-2027 school year. There appears to be consensus on this point but we will provide more information when the amendments to the bill are available.
On June 24th, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee considered these bills impacting students and schools:
- S4260 (Lagana) – Establishes pilot program in certain counties to provide funding for nonpublic school nursing services through county consortium of nonpublic schools.
This bill would require the establishment of a three-year nonpublic school nursing services pilot program in an eligible county permitting the establishment or utilization of a county consortium for the provision of nursing services to nonpublic schools that are part of the county consortium. It makes various requirements establishing the necessary guide rails and reporting requirements necessary to make such a program functional. NJPSA has observed this legislation as it progressed, but has taken no position. It advanced out of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and currently awaits consideration by the full Senate.
- S4151 (Cryan) – Authorizes Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security in places of religious worship; makes certain clarifications concerning their use in nonpublic schools.
This bill is part of a yearly effort by the state to address growing school security concerns. Historically, non-public school advocates consistently advocate during budget season for increases in financial assistance to be able to provide adequate safety measures for their students. This bill appears to be an attempt to allow for cost sharing between public and non-public entities for the use of SLEO-III officers to address their concerns. However, as it is written, the bill is a direct requirement that when any public district employs a SLEO-III officer, they must also procure the same services for non-public schools in the district. This includes a requirement to pay for the costs of those officers. NJPSA staff testified in firm opposition to these provisions. In combination with several other education advocacy organizations we are working to have the bill either amended significantly or removed from consideration. One possible compromise under discussion is to make the bill language permissive – meaning it would allow for publics and non-publics to engage in a shared arrangement of this nature, but would not require it. The bill advanced out of the Senate Budget Committee, but several Senators expressed reservations about further support.
- S-4413 (Scutari) Establishes School-based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids Program in Department of Children and Families, requires school districts to develop mental health support and partnership programs; appropriates $44 million
As noted above, this legislation was held in committee as amendments are being finalized. Additionally, the bill may be included within the State Budget bill due to the $44million appropriation.
- S-4507 (Ruiz) Permits Director of the Division of Pension and Benefits to initiate temporary transfer of funds in certain circumstances
This legislation was favorably released by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. It authorizes the Treasury department to temporarily transfer funds from retiree reserve health benefit funds to the SEHBP active employee reserve fund to address dangerously low funding levels in the active fund. The bill seeks to provide a stop-gap measure, through a loan from one fund to another on a temporary basis, to provide health benefits, claim security and to avoid a mid-year rate increase which would harm many SEHBP school districts’ budgets mid-school year. Amendments are under consideration to tighten up the loan timelines and ensure the security of the retiree reserve fund. The bill is pending a vote of the full Senate and has not yet been considered in the Assembly.
- S-2456 (Diegnan) Requires school bus personnel members to call 911 emergency line in potential life-threatening emergencies; requires certain school buses transporting students with disabilities to be equipped with certain safety features and makes an appropriation
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee amended and favorably released this legislation which expands current bus safety training to all school bus personnel. The bill requires such personnel to call 911 in the case of a potentially life-threatening emergency and report that call to the NJ Department of Education. Boards of education and busing contractors are required to ensure the training of school bus personnel or be subject to stiff penalties. Training is expanded to include interactions with students with disabilities twice a year. For buses that transport one or more students with disabilities, the school bus must be equipped with a video camera on the interior of the bus to monitor student safety, a global positioning system and two-way communications equipment which can be a cell phone. The bill also addresses bus inspections and potentially provides funds for the bus equipment through grants from the NJ Division of Motor Vehicles. The bill is pending a vote in the full Senate but its Assembly companion, A=4479 has not yet been considered.
- S-4260 (Lagana) Establishes pilot program in certain counties to provide funding for nonpublic school nursing services through county consortium of nonpublic schools
This legislation was favorably released from committee and can be considered for a full Senate vote. It requires the establishment of a three-year nonpublic school nursing services pilot program for certain eligible counties. The bill requires school districts to disburse to the county consortium an amount equal to the nonpublic nursing services aid that is paid to the school district. Nonpublic schools have certain notification requirements under the bill and statements of assurance to the Commissioner of Education concerning the ability of the county consortium to comply with its nursing services responsibilities under the pilot. Annual audits are required and a report will be provided after two years of the pilot program.
The NJPSA Government Relations team has been advocating on your behalf on these education bills. We will keep you updated on all developments as this busy State Budget process concludes on June 30.