S2929

An Act concerning a school security position pilot program and supplementing Titles 18A and 54A of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a three-year pilot program that provides for the training and placement of veterans in school security positions available in school districts. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to increase school security by utilizing the skills of veterans.

b. The commissioner, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall establish policies and procedures for the recruitment, selection, and training of veterans eligible to participate in the pilot program, and for matching the selected veterans to school security positions available in school districts. The policies shall evaluate the level of skills, training, experience, fitness, and other qualifications deemed necessary for a veteran to serve in a school security position.

Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.2004, c.134 (C.45:19A-1 et seq.) or P.L.2005, c.276 (C.52:17B-71.8 et al.) to the contrary, the commissioner may utilize the education and training program for security officers established pursuant to section 5 of the “Security Officer Registration Act,” P.L.2004, c.134 (C.45:19A-5) or the training for safe schools resource officers and school liaisons to law enforcement developed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2005, c.276 (C.52:17B-71.8), to train eligible veterans for school security positions under the pilot program.

c. A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner in such form as required by the commissioner. The school district, as part of the application, shall include information on the security needs of the school district, the number of school security positions at each school, the rate of turnover in these positions, and other information as required by the commissioner.

d. The commissioner shall select up to 12 school districts for participation in the pilot program. The commissioner shall select districts in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State. The selected school districts may include, but shall not be limited to, Making Our Schools Safe Districts as designated under the Department of Education’s Safer Schools for a Better Tomorrow initiative.

In selecting the pilot school districts, the commissioner shall consider the security needs of the district as reflected in the data reported in the commissioner’s annual report on violence, vandalism, and harassment, intimidation, or bullying in the public schools, as required under section 3 of P.L.1982, c.163 (C.18A:17-48).

e. Three years following the establishment of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, the effectiveness of veterans in school security positions, and the recommendations of the commissioner and the Attorney General on the advisability of continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.

2. A taxpayer shall be allowed an exemption of $5,000 which may be taken as a deduction from the taxpayer's State gross income for each year in which the taxpayer served in a school security position pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on a volunteer basis and without receiving compensation from the school district. A taxpayer shall not be entitled to a deduction under this section of more than $5,000 in any one tax year. A taxpayer who is entitled to a deduction under this act shall submit a claim, accompanied by proof of the right to such a deduction, in a manner as the Director of the Division of Taxation may by regulation provide.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and section 2 shall apply to tax years commencing after the December 31 next following enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a three-year school security position pilot program in the Department of Education and provides an exemption from gross income for certain pilot program volunteers.

Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education is required to establish a three-year pilot program that provides for the training and placement of veterans in school security positions available in school districts. The purpose of the pilot program is to increase school security by utilizing the skills of veterans.

The bill directs the commissioner, in consultation with the Attorney General, to establish policies and procedures for the recruitment, selection, and training of veterans eligible to participate in the pilot program, and for matching the selected veterans to school security positions available in school districts. The policies will evaluate the level of skills, training, experience, fitness, and other qualifications deemed necessary for a veteran to serve in a school security position.

The bill provides that the commissioner may utilize the education and training program for security officers or the training for safe schools resource officers and school liaisons to law enforcement established by law train eligible veterans for school security positions under the pilot program.

The bill directs a school district that wants to participate in the pilot program to submit an application to the commissioner in such form as required by the commissioner. The school district, as part of the application, is required to include information on the security needs of the school district, the number of school security positions at each school, the rate of turnover in these positions, and other information as required by the commissioner.

Under the bill, the commissioner is directed to select up to 12 school districts for participation in the pilot program. Three years following the establishment of the pilot program, the commissioner is required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that contains information on the implementation of the pilot program, the effectiveness of veterans in school security positions, and the recommendations of the commissioner and the Attorney General on the advisability of continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.

The bill also allows an exemption of $5,000 which may be taken as a deduction from the taxpayer's State gross income for each year in which the taxpayer served in a school security position pursuant to the bill’s provisions on a volunteer basis and without receiving compensation from the school district. A taxpayer will not be entitled to a deduction under this bill of more than $5,000 in any one tax year. A taxpayer who is entitled to such a deduction is required to submit a claim, accompanied by proof of the right to such a deduction, in a manner as the Director of the Division of Taxation may by regulation provide.