ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 3803

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 14, 2007

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 3803 with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill includes electronic communications in the definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" under P.L.2002, c.83.  That law, enacted in September of 2002, requires each school district to adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying.  The current definition includes gestures and written, verbal or physical acts.  This bill clarifies that technologies such as e-mail and cellular phone text messaging may not be used to harass, intimidate, or bully a student.

      Under the bill, in the event a district fails within 90 days of the bill’s effective date to amend its policy on harassment, intimidation, or bullying to include an electronic communication, the district’s existing policy will be deemed to include an electronic communication as defined in the bill.

      The committee amended the bill to provide that a district’s existing policy will be deemed to include an electronic communication if the district fails to amend its policy within 90 days, rather than 30 days, of the bill’s effective date.

      As reported by committee, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 933 (1R).