A2042 • 2026

Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*

Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Haider, Shama A.
Last action: 2026-06-15
Official status: Reported as an Assembly Committee Substitute and Referred to Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*

Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.* Topic: Community Development and Women's Affairs Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

What This Bill Does

Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.* Topic: Community Development and Women's Affairs Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-06-15 New Jersey Legislature
Reported as an Assembly Committee Substitute and Referred to Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee
2026-01-13 New Jersey Legislature
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee

Official Summary Text

Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*
Topic:
Community Development and Women's Affairs
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A2042 AED Statement 6/15/26

ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY,
No. 2042

STATE
OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:
�JUNE
15, 2026

����� The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably an
Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 2042.

����� This committee substitute requires the Commissioner of
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, to develop and
distribute guidance to public schools concerning accommodations for students
who are fasting for religious or medical reasons.� The commissioners are
required to consult with interested stakeholders in the education community in
developing the guidance.

����� The bill provides that the guidance will address:

����� (1)� flexibility for physical education classes,
athletic participation, examinations, and other school activities;

����� (2)� differentiated instruction and alternative
educational activities for students whose fasting may affect participation in
certain physical activities;

����� (3)� strategies to support students who are fasting
for religious or medical reasons without adversely affecting the students�
academic standing or access to instruction aligned with the New Jersey Student
Learning Standards;

����� (4)� communication with parents or guardians regarding
requests for accommodations related to fasting; and

����� (5)� professional development resources and best
practices for teachers, coaches, school nurses, counselors, and administrators
concerning students who are fasting for religious or medical reasons.

����� Within one year of the effective date of the bill, the
Department of Education is required to post the guidance on its Internet
website.

����� The bill is not to be construed as providing a public
school the authority to: alter State graduation requirements for students who
are fasting for religious or medical reasons; preclude a student who is fasting
from meeting local graduation requirements as a result of any accommodations
provided to the student; or require a student who is fasting to complete
additional schoolwork or instructional time as a result of any accommodations
provided to the student in order to meet local graduation requirements.

����� As reported by the committee, the committee substitute
for Assembly Bill No. 2042 is identical to Senate Bill No. 1340 SCS, which was
also amended and reported by the committee on this date.