JANET’S LAW: S-157 (Singer, Vitale) “Janet’s Law,” in memory of Janet Zilinski, an 11-year old who died of sudden cardiac arrest following a cheerleading squad practice, requires that public school districts and non-public schools ensure that an automated external defibrillator (AED) is readily available and within reasonable proximity of school-sponsored athletic events or team practices. The bill stipulates that a team coach or other designated staff member trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an AED be present. NJEA secured amendments to the bill which removed a mandate to teach CPR and the use of an AED in grades 9-12. NJEA did not take a position on the bill, which is currently under legal review. The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee unanimously and now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
STUDENT SURVEYS: S-454 (Turner, Vitale) bill passed the Senate Education Committee 3-1-1. This legislation permits a student to participate in a voluntary survey if the school district sends prior written notice to parents or guardians of the students. The bill establishes that “passive permission” from parents (i.e., parents do not respond to a written notice) is sufficient. NJEA supports this legislation, which now moves to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
REVISES NJ STARS PROGRAM: S-874 (Cunningham) revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II program. For the STARS I program, it limits coverage to the cost of tuition only and encourages county colleges to host an annual recruitment day and invite representatives from the state’s four year institutions to recruit students for the NJ STARS II Program. For the STARS II program, students would be permitted to use the scholarship at non-public four-year institutions of higher education; the provision that calculates the amount of the scholarship based on a student’s GPA would be eliminated; and the scholarship would be paid 100% by the State, not 50% by the State and 50% by the institution of higher education as provided under current law. NJEA did not have a position on this bill, which passed the Senate Higher Education Committee unanimously and has been referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS & PROTECTION MONTH: SJR-24 (Codey) designates February of each year as “Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Protection Month” in New Jersey. This bill passed the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee and will now go to the full Senate for a vote. NJEA supports this legislation.
VETTEACH PILOT PROGRAM: S-1026 (Whelan, Connors) would create a pilot program at Stockton University for veterans to complete a teacher certification program in 36 months, the time they are allotted for college under their veterans’ benefits. NJEA supported this bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate Education Committee and is now on second reading in the Senate.
LOAN REDEMPTION: S-543 (Gill, Ruiz) establishes a loan redemption program for teachers under which they are permitted to redeem loan amounts received under the New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students Loan Program (NJCLASS) through employment as a teacher in New Jersey. Each year of teaching employment would be a 10% loan redemption amount. NJEA supported the bill, which passed 3-1-1 in the Senate Education Committee, and has been referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee where it is not yet scheduled.
REQUIRES TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT ON SCHOOL BUSES: S-433 (Sacco) was released by the Senate Education Committee (4-0) and has been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. NJEA supports this legislation because two-way communications equipment will put drivers and schools in a better position to deal with emergencies that occur in school and on the road. Two way communications devices will facilitate immediate communication in the event that a child is lost, a bus breaks down, or a situation occurs that could cause a bus not to arrive at its appointed time. It will allow drivers to ask for help or provide important information to school so that parents, administrators, and/or emergency service personnel can be kept informed of a situation.
JANET’S LAW: S-157 (Singer, Vitale). This bill passed the Senate Education Committee with unanimous support. “Janet’s Law,” is in memory of Janet Zilinski, an 11-year old who died of sudden cardiac arrest following a cheerleading squad practice. The bill applies to athletic events and activities that take place through public and nonpublic schools, recreational departments, youth serving organizations and youth camps. The bill requires public school districts and nonpublic schools that include K through 12 to ensure that an automated external defibrillator (AED) is readily available and within reasonable proximity of the school athletic field or gymnasium, as applicable, at which a school-sponsored athletic event or team practice is taking place. The bill stipulates that a team coach, or other designated staff member if there is no coach, who is present during the athletic event or team practice, is trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an AED. NJEA secured amendments to the bill taking out the requirements mandating the teaching of CPR and the use of an AED in the statewide Core Curriculum. We did not take a position on the bill until further review. It heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
STUDENT SURVEYS: S-454 (Turner, Vitale). This bill passed the Senate Education Committee 3-1-1. This legislation permits a student to participate in a voluntary survey if the school district sends prior written notice to parents or guardians of the students. The bill establishes that “passive permission” from parents (in other words parents do not respond to a written notice) is sufficient. NJEA supports this legislation which moves to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
NJ STARS AND NJ STARS II PROGRAM S-874 (Cunningham). This bill revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II program. It passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously and is referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The bill makes a number of revisions to the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II programs. It changes the NJ STARS program, limiting coverage to only the cost of tuition (not the cost of tuition and fees), and encouraging county colleges to host an annual recruitment day and invite representatives from each State four year public and independent institution in order to offer an opportunity to recruit students for the NJ STARS II Program. In the case of the NJ STARS II Program, students will be permitted to use the scholarship to attend a New Jersey independent four-year institution of higher education, whereas currently the program applies to only four year public institutions. Finally other revisions to NJ STARS II include: the elimination of the provision that calculated the amount of the scholarship based on the student’s GPA; and the cost of the scholarship, which would be paid 100% by the State, not 50% by the State and 50% by the institution of higher education as provided under current law. NJEA did not have a position on this bill.
“TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS & PROTECTION MONTH”: SJR-24 (Codey). This legislation designates February of each year as “Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Protection Month” in New Jersey. This bill passed the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee and will now go to the full Senate for a vote. NJEA supports this legislation.