A5850

An Act establishing a task force to develop a job training program for drone operators and curricula on drones for high schools, institutions of higher education, and job training.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. There is established the Drone Education Task Force for the purpose of developing a job training program for unmanned aircraft system operators and curricula on unmanned aircraft systems for students in high schools and institutions of higher education. Unmanned aircraft systems are more commonly known as drones. The task force shall:

a. evaluate examples of current high school and college curricula from robotics and engineering programs, and their approach toward unmanned aircraft system creation and operation;

b. compose a list of skills to be mastered by high school students, college students, and job retraining program candidates;

c. study best practices of education programs in other states or countries that provide training on unmanned aircraft system operation;

d. study best practices of nonprofit and private-sector entities that provide training on unmanned aircraft system operation;

e. identify the needs of existing employers of unmanned aircraft system operators, and analyze how the education system can meet those needs in the future; and

f. produce sample curricula for unmanned aircraft system training and education for use in the high schools, institutions of higher education, and job retraining programs, including a timetable of goals to be met over the course of the program, desired knowledge, and sample assignments and evaluations.

2. a. The task force shall consist of the following 17 members:

(1) the Commissioner of Education, or a designee;

(2) the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee;

(3) the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, or a designee;

(4) the Commissioner of Transportation, or a designee,

(5) the Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Authority, or a designee;

(6) one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to unmanned aircraft system operator training;

(7) one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to unmanned aircraft system operator training; and

(8) eight members appointed by the Governor, which shall include one member who is employed by a private company that manufactures unmanned aircraft systems, and the seven remaining members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to unmanned aircraft system operator training.

b. Appointments to the task force shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made.

c. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its purposes.

3. a. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the appointment of its members. The task force shall choose a chairperson from among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.

b. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force also shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.

4. The task force shall issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 12 months after the task force organizes.

5. This act shall take effect immediately, and the task force shall expire 30 days after the issuance of its report.

STATEMENT

This bill creates the Drone Education Task Force to develop curricula for drone operator training programs, on the high school, college, and job retraining levels. These curricula will be developed by assessing the needs of private sector and nonprofit companies that employ drone operators, and analyzing how the education system can best meet those needs as they evolve. The task force will also study best practices of education programs in other states or countries that train drone operators.

These curricula will include a timetable of goals to be met over the course of the program, desired knowledge for students to gain from the program, and sample assignments and evaluations. The task force will be made up of the Commissioner of Education, the Secretary of Higher Education, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, the Commissioner of Transportation, the Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Authority, and private citizens with expertise appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly.