Legislative Update June 2, 2011

Penalties for Illegally Passing a School Bus: S-400 (Singer, Allen) has been released by the Senate Transportation Committee and referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.  NJEA supports this legislation, which would increase penalties for illegally passing a school bus. 

Disqualifying Board of Education Members for Criminal Convictions:   A-444 (Green, Bramnick, Conners, Conaway, Jasey)/S-295 (Allen, Buono)  This legislation would disqualify board of education members for convictions of certain crimes and requires background checks.  It holds school board members to the same standards as school employees.  In the conditional veto, “bias intimidation” was included as a disqualifying offense.  NJEA supported the initial legislation and added language to include charter school board of trustees.  We also supported the intent of the conditional veto.  The bill was signed into law on May 26, 2011, P.L. 2011 c.72.