Sponsored by:
Senator THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator A.R.Bucco
SYNOPSIS
Directs Attorney General to provide annual training to public and nonpublic school students and staff on roles and responsibilities before, during, and after school emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school security training for public and nonpublic school students and staff and amending P.L.2009, c.178.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2009, c.178 (C.18A:41-7) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. A local board of education and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall ensure that all full-time employees in the district or nonpublic school are provided with training on school safety and security that includes instruction on school security drills. The training shall use the drill guide and training materials prepared pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2009, c.178 (C.App.A:9-86) and shall utilize various formats such as drills, functional exercises, and tabletop exercises. The annual training provided to employees shall be conducted collaboratively by the district or nonpublic school and emergency responders, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, in order to identify weaknesses in school safety and security policies and procedures and to increase the effectiveness of emergency responders.
b. The Office of the Attorney General, in conjunction with the Department of Education, shall provide annual training, including current best practices, to all employees and students of public and nonpublic schools on the roles and responsibilities of students and staff before, during, and after a school emergency. A school emergency shall include lockdowns, bomb threat evacuations, active shooter incidents, and other identifiable threats.
The training required pursuant to this subsection shall be provided in a face-to-face format on a regional basis and shall also be available online. The training shall include information on: the establishment of an incident command system; multi-hazard emergency planning for schools; and options-based response protocols that provide options beyond the standard school lockdown.
The Department of Education shall annually disseminate to school districts and nonpublic schools a calendar that details the dates, times, and regional locations where the training shall be provided and information on the training that may be accessed online.
(cf: P.L.2016, c.80, s.3)
2. This act shall take effect in the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Office of the Attorney General, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to provide annual training, including current best practices, to all employees and students of public and nonpublic schools on the roles and responsibilities of students and staff before, during, and after a school emergency. A school emergency will include lockdowns, bomb threat evacuations, active shooter incidents, and other identifiable threats. The training must be provided in a face-to-face format on a regional basis and must also be made available online.
The bill directs the Department of Education to annually disseminate to school districts and nonpublic schools a calendar that details the dates, times, and regional locations where the training will be provided, and information on the training that may be accessed online.