Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Senator NIA H. GILL
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Durr and Ruiz
SYNOPSIS
Requires public schools that offer student psychological services to offer remote sessions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Education Committee on June 20, 2022, with amendments.
An Act concerning student psychological services and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A school district1, charter school, or renaissance school project1 that employs a school psychologist and offers in-person school psychology services to students in grades kindergarten through 12, or any combination thereof, shall permit students to attend counseling sessions or meetings of any kind with the school psychologist 1for counseling purposes,1 through virtual or remote means1, unless the school psychologist determines that in-person counseling is in the best interest of the student1.
b. Nothing in subsection a. of this section shall be construed to prohibit any student from attending an in-person counseling session or meeting with a school psychologist employed by the school district1, charter school, or renaissance school project1.
c. As used in this section, “school psychologist” means a person who holds a New Jersey standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year after the date of enactment.