Requires DOE to develop model policies for ensuring parental notification of sexually explicit content in curriculum; requires board of education to provide parental notification of sexually explicit content in curriculum.

A230

ASSEMBLY, No. 230

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JOHN V. AZZARITI JR., M.D.

District 39 (Bergen)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen McGuckin and Scharfenberger

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires DOE to develop model policies for ensuring
parental notification of sexually explicit content in curriculum; requires
board of education to provide parental notification of sexually explicit
content in curriculum.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act
concerning public school curricula and supplementing
chapter 35 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, �s
exually explicit
content" means� any description of, or any picture, photograph, drawing,
motion picture film, digital image, or similar visual representation, depicting
sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, sexual excitement, sexual
conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, or fetishism.

���� b. The Department of Education shall develop and make
available to each board of education model policies for ensuring parental
notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit
content, and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating
to:

���� (1) ensuring parental notification prior to a student�s
exposure to sexually explicit content in school curriculum;

���� (2) directly identifying the specific instructional
material and sexually explicit subjects; and

���� (3) permitting the parent or guardian of any student to
review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and
provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional materials and related
academic activities to any student whose parent requests those alternatives.

���� c.
Each board of education shall adopt policies
that are consistent with, but may be more comprehensive than, the model
policies developed by the department pursuant to subsection b. of this
section.�

���� d. Nothing in this act shall
be construed to provide for the censoring of books in public elementary and
secondary schools.�

���� 2. �This act shall take effect
immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year beginning after
the date of enactment.�

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Department of Education to develop model policies for ensuring parental
notification of sexually explicit content in the school curriculum and requires
boards of education to provide parental notification of sexually explicit content
in the school curriculum.

����
Under the bill, the Department of Education is required to
develop and make available to each board of education model policies for
ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes
sexually explicit content, and include information, guidance, procedures, and
standards relating to:

���� (1) ensuring parental notification prior to a student�s
exposure to sexually explicit content in school curriculum;

���� (2) directly identifying the specific instructional
material and sexually explicit subjects; and

���� (3) permitting the parent or guardian of any student to
review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and
provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional materials and related
academic activities to any student whose parent requests those alternatives.

���� The bill also directs e
ach board of education to
adopt policies that are consistent with, but may be more comprehensive than,
the model policies developed by the department.�

���� The provisions of the bill
will not be construed to provide for the censoring of books in public
elementary and secondary schools.� ��