Establishes conditions for operation of school-based health centers.

A1630

ASSEMBLY, No. 1630

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes conditions for operation of school-based
health centers.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning the establishment of school-based health
centers 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.� As used in this
section, �school-based health center� means a health clinic that:

���� (1) is located on school
property;

���� (2) is organized or promoted
through school, community, or health care provider relationships; and

���� (3) provides primary health
services to students of the school district.

���� A school-based health center
may serve members of the community other than students, including students� families
and school district employees.�

���� b. The board of education of a
school district may enter into an agreement or contract with a health care
provider, health system, or community partner to provide facilities space to be
used for the establishment of a school-based health center.� A school-based
health center established pursuant to this section shall be operated as a legal
entity separate from the school district and shall comply with the following
conditions:

���� (1) the establishment of a
school-based health center shall not replace the roles of school nurses, school
athletic trainers, or any other school district positions that provide first
aid, emergency services, or school nursing services to students;

���� (2) student participation in
services provided by a school-based health center shall be voluntary;

���� (3) the school-based health
center and school district shall be prohibited from offering any incentive to a
student or parent of a student in exchange for participation in services
provided by the school-based health center;

���� (4) the parent or guardian of
a minor student shall provide written informed consent prior to the student�s
receipt of services at a school-based health center, and the parent or guardian
of a minor student shall be present at the time the student receives services;

���� (5) services provided at a
school-based health center shall be provided by a professionally qualified
health care provider;

���� (6) services shall be provided
in a manner that ensures the privacy of the student, consistent with State and
federal laws applicable to the confidentiality of health records, and a
student�s health record at the school-based health center shall not be
considered part of a student�s education record or provided to the school
district, except as may be otherwise required by law; and

���� (7) the school-based health
center complies with all other applicable State and federal laws and
regulations.�

���� c. The State Board of
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall promulgate
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.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment.�

STATEMENT

����

���� This bill establishes
conditions for the operation of school-based health centers.�

���� The bill permits a board of
education of a school district to enter into an agreement or contract with a
health care provider, health system, or community partner to provide facilities
space for the establishment of a school-based health center under certain
conditions.� Specifically, the bill requires the following:

���� (1) the school-based health
center be a legal entity separate from the school district;

���� (2) the establishment of a
school-based health center cannot replace the roles of school nurses and other
school district employees������ (3) student participation in services provided
by a school-based health center be voluntary;

���� (4) the school-based health
center and school district are prohibited from offering any incentive to a
student or parent of a student in exchange for participation in services
provided by the school-based health center;

���� (5) the parent or guardian of
a minor student is to provide written informed consent prior to the student�s
receipt of services at a school-based health center, and the parent or guardian
of a minor student is required to be present at the time the student receives
services;

���� (6) services provided at a
school-based health center are to be provided by a professionally qualified
health care provider;

���� (7) services are to be provided
in a manner that ensures the privacy of the student, and a student�s health
record at the school-based health center will not be considered part of a
student�s education record or provided to the school district, except as may be
otherwise required by law; and

���� (8) the school-based health
center complies with all other applicable State and federal laws and
regulations.�

���� The bill directs the State
Board of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, to
promulgate the regulations necessary to effectuate the bill�s provisions.