Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOSEPH V. EGAN
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Speight, Assemblymen Wirths and Space
SYNOPSIS
Requires school districts to provide instruction on prevention of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne diseases in grades kindergarten through 12; requires DOH to publish certain guidelines concerning ticks.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on March 16, 2023, with amendments.
An Act concerning instruction 1and guidance1 on 1ticks,1 Lyme Disease 1,1 and other tick-borne diseases in public schools 1and for the public1, amending 1and supplementing1 P.L.1991, c.488, and supplementing 1[chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes] P.L.1991, c.227 (C.26:2P-1 et seq.)1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
11. (New section) The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey is among the nationwide leaders in tick-borne diseases and was one of the 17 states that reported 95 percent of the confirmed Lyme disease cases in 2019.
b. If not diagnosed and treated early, symptoms of Lyme disease may become more severe and life-altering. Later stages of Lyme disease can result in arthritis, severe joint pain and swelling, nervous system problems, impaired memory and other cognitive defects, and heart problems that include heart palpitations and chest pain.
c. It is altogether fitting and proper that New Jersey schools provide students with a more expansive education on ticks, tick-borne disease, and best methods for preventing exposure and identifying symptoms of tick-borne diseases.1
1[1.] 2.1 Section 1 of P.L.1991, c.488 (C.18A:35-5.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall develop curriculum guidelines for the teaching of information on the prevention of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne diseases within the public school health curriculum. The guidelines shall emphasize disease prevention [and sensitivity for persons with the disease] and include topics such as the biology of various tick species, tick habitats, a list of diseases transmitted by ticks, recommended attire and repellants to help protect an individual from ticks, how to perform tick checks, proper techniques for the removal of ticks, and symptoms an individual may experience after receiving a tick bite. The Commissioner of Education shall periodically review and update the guidelines to insure that the curriculum reflects the most current information available.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.131, s.24)
1[2.] 3.1 Section 2 of P.L.1991, c.488 (C.18A:35-5.2) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. The commissioner shall make the curriculum guidelines available to all school districts in the State [and shall encourage their adoption by those districts which are located in areas of the State which have a high incidence of Lyme Disease].
b. A board of education shall incorporate the curriculum guidelines developed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1991, c.488 (C.18A:35-5.1) in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of the school district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
c. A board of education shall also consult resources from 1[a] multiple1 nationally-recognized 1[organization] organizations1 with expertise in Lyme Disease or other tick-borne diseases in fulfilling the requirements of subsection b. of this section.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.488, s.2)
1[3. (New section) a. A board of education shall develop a policy concerning the discovery and removal of ticks on students. The policy shall require the school physician or school nurse to:
(1) remove the tick from the student in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Health pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);
(2) properly store the tick for no more than seven days;
(3) label the tick with the date of removal and name of the student; and
(4) provide notice to the student’s parent or guardian by telephone, email, or letter to be delivered by the student on the day the tick was removed.
b. Notice provided to a parent or guardian pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include the following: (1) the student’s name, (2) the date the tick was removed, (3) a statement that the school is holding the tick for up to seven days so that the parent or guardian may collect the tick and send it to be tested for Lyme Disease or other tick-borne diseases, and (4) a list of facilities in the State that perform tick testing. The notice shall further advise the parent or guardian to promptly seek medical treatment if the student presents symptoms such as rash, chills, fever, headache, tiredness, stiff neck, joint pain or swelling, or swollen lymph nodes within three to 30 days of removal.]1
4. (New section) The Department of Health shall publish on the department’s Internet website guidelines concerning the 1prevention,1 discovery1,1 and removal of ticks on 1[students and a list of facilities in the State that perform tick testing that includes the address, phone number, and website of each facility on the list. The guidelines shall be distributed to each school district in the State consultation with the Department of Education] persons1.
5. The Department of Health and the State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.