STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CARMEN THERESA MORALES
District 34 (Essex)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires executive county superintendent to distribute funds to each public school located in county for purchase of tourniquets and requires training on tourniquet use; appropriates up to $500,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning tourniquets in public schools, supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
“Governing body” means the board of education of a school district, the board of trustees of a charter school, or the board of trustees of a renaissance school project.
“Public school” means a school, under college grade, that is operated by the governing body of a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project.
“School employee” means a school nurse, safe schools resource officer, or teaching staff member employed by the governing body of a public school.
“School-sponsored function” means any activity, event, or program occurring on school grounds, whether during or outside of regular school hours, that is organized or supported by the school.
2. a. Each executive county superintendent shall, within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the purposes of this section, distribute funds to the governing bodies of public schools in the county for the purchase of tourniquets. The Department of Education may, to the extent permitted by federal law and in addition to any other funds appropriated or otherwise made available, distribute federal funds for the purposes of this section.
b. A tourniquet purchased with funds distributed to a public school pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be located in an unlocked location on school property with an appropriate identifying sign. The tourniquet shall be accessible during the school day and any other time that a school-sponsored function is taking place in which students of the public school are present.
3. a. The governing body of a public school shall develop and annually administer staff training on the use of tourniquets and bleeding control techniques. A governing body may collaborate or contract with local law enforcement, emergency medical services, or a third party organization that is nationally recognized as having expertise in bleeding control techniques to meet the training requirements of this section.
b. The governing body of a public school shall annually ensure that each school employee participates in the training developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The governing body may identify other employees of the board who may participate in a training course offered pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
4. A governing body shall provide information concerning its compliance with the requirements of this act in a statement of assurance that shall be submitted to the executive county superintendent.
5 There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Education a sum not to exceed $500,000 to effectuate the provisions of section 2 of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires each executive county superintendent to distribute funds to the governing bodies of public schools for the purchase of tourniquets and requires certain school employees receive training on tourniquet use. The bill appropriates a sum not to exceed $500,000 from the State General Fund for this purpose and specifies that additional federal funds may be distributed by the Department of Education, to the extent permitted by federal law.
The bill requires a tourniquet purchased by a public school with funds distributed by the executive county superintendent to be located in an unlocked location on school property with an appropriate identifying sign. The tourniquet is to be accessible during the school day and any other time that a school sponsored function is taking place in which students of the school are present.
The bill directs the governing body of a public school to develop and annually administer staff training on the use of tourniquets and bleeding control techniques. The bill permits a governing body to collaborate or contract with local law enforcement, emergency medical services, or a third party organization that is nationally recognized as having the expertise in bleeding control techniques to meet this training requirement. Under the bill, the governing body of a public school is to annually ensure that school employees, as defined in the bill, participate in the training.
Finally, the bill requires a governing body to include information concerning its compliance with the requirements of the bill in a statement of assurance that is to be submitted to the executive county superintendent.