Establishes New Jersey Commission on College and School Safety and Security.

A4038

ASSEMBLY, No. 4038

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes New Jersey Commission on College and
School Safety and Security.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning security and safety at institutions of
higher education and public and nonpublic schools and supplementing chapter 9
of Appendix A.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� The New Jersey
Commission on College and School Safety and Security is created and established
in the Executive Branch of the State Government.� For the purpose of complying
with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution,
the commission is allocated within the Department of Education, but
notwithstanding this allocation, the commission shall be independent of any
supervision or control by the department or any board or office thereof.

���� b.��� The commission shall
consist of 17 members as follows:

���� (1) the Commissioner of
Education, or a designee;

���� (2)�� the Secretary of Higher
Education, or a designee;

���� (3)�� the Director of the
Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, or a designee;

���� (4)�� the Chief Executive
Officer of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, or a designee;

���� (5)�� three members
representing institutions of higher education in the State to be appointed by
the Governor, including one member who is the president of a State college or
university, or a designee; one member who is the president of a county college,
or a designee; and one member who is the president of a public research
university, or a designee;

���� (6)�� six members of the
public to be appointed by the Governor, including: the chief school
administrator of a nonpublic school; one member upon the recommendation of the
New Jersey Association of School Business Officials; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and one
member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey College and University Public
Safety Association; and

���� (7)�� four members of the
public to be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President
of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, Minority Leader of the Senate,
and Minority Leader of the General Assembly, two of whom shall have demonstrated
expertise in the development or implementation of school security standards or
technology, one of whom is an active or retired law enforcement officer, and
one of whom is an active or retired mental health professional.

���� c.���� Each public member of
the commission shall serve for a term of three years, except that of the
initial members appointed, four members shall serve for a term of one year,
three members shall serve for a term of two years, and three members shall
serve for a term of three years.� Public members shall be eligible for
reappointment and shall serve until their successors are appointed and
qualified.� The term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from
the expiration of the term of that incumbent.� A vacancy occurring other than
by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment but for the unexpired term only.

���� d.��� The members of the
commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to
reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties.

���� e.���� The commission shall
organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members and
annually shall elect a chairperson from among its members.� It shall meet upon
the call of the chairperson or of a majority of the commission members.� The
presence of a majority of the authorized membership of the commission shall be
required for the conduct of official business.

���� f.���� The commission shall
appoint an executive director, who shall serve at its pleasure and shall be a
person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the
office.

���� 2.��� a.� The commission shall
identify potential security challenges and vulnerabilities at institutions of
higher education and public and nonpublic preschool, elementary, and secondary
schools throughout the State, and make recommendations to improve school safety
and security.�

���� b.��� The responsibilities and
duties of the commission related to institutions of higher education shall
include, but are not limited to:

���� (1)�� reviewing campus
emergency management plans, emergency response capabilities, and any other
practices implemented at institutions of higher education;

���� (2)�� assessing current
response times in emergency situations, including lockdowns, active shooters,
and bomb threats;

���� (3)�� assessing and analyzing
the effectiveness of current campus technology used to ensure safety and
security on college campuses;

���� (4)�� reviewing the physical
infrastructure on college campuses and the extent to which campuses are
equipped with features, technology, and services to ensure the safety and
security of students, faculty, and visitors;

���� (5)�� analyzing the mental
health services and training provided on college campuses as it relates to
campus security;

���� (6)�� considering strategies
to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are reflected in all areas of
emergency planning and response measures; and

���� (7) developing, based upon the
knowledge and experience of its members, guidelines and recommendations on best
practices for ensuring a safe and secure school environment.

���� c. The responsibilities and
duties of the commission related to public and nonpublic preschool, elementary,
and secondary schools shall include, but are not limited to:

���� (1)�� reviewing current school
safety and security plans adopted by public and nonpublic schools;

���� (2)�� assessing current
response times in emergency situations, including lockdowns, active shooters,
and bomb threats;

���� (3)�� assessing and analyzing
the effectiveness of current school technology used to ensure the safety and
security of school facilities and grounds;

���� (4)�� assessing the impact of
�Alyssa�s Law,� P.L.2019, c.33 (C.18A:41-10 et seq.);

���� (5)�� reviewing the physical
infrastructure of public and nonpublic schools and the extent to which schools
are equipped with features, technology, and services to ensure the safety and
security of students, staff, and visitors;

���� (6)�� analyzing the mental
health services and training provided at schools as it relates to school
security;

���� (7)�� considering strategies
to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are reflected in all areas of
emergency planning and response measures; and

���� (8)�� developing, based upon
the knowledge and experience of its members, guidelines and recommendations on
best practices for ensuring a safe and secure school environment.

���� d.��� In developing its
guidelines and recommendations, the commission shall research effective
strategies that have been employed in other states, and refer to and
incorporate existing State research, data, recommendations, and standards,
including recommendations from prior task forces and entities established by
the Governor and Legislature to examine the issue of campus and school
security.

���� e.���� The Legislature shall
review, and as appropriate, pursue legislation towards implementing the
guidelines and recommendations of the commission.�

���� f.���� The State shall
appropriate such funds as may be necessary to implement the guidelines and
recommendations of the commission.

���� 3���� a.� The commission is
authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of the
State, or of any county, municipality, school district, or public institution
of higher education of the State, to supply such data, program reports and other
information, personnel, and assistance as it deems necessary to discharge its
responsibilities under this act.

���� b.��� The departments,
offices, divisions, and agencies shall, to the extent possible, and not
inconsistent with any other law of this State, cooperate with the commission
and shall furnish it with such information, personnel, and assistance as may be
necessary or helpful to accomplish the purposes of this act.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the New
Jersey Commission on College and School Safety and Security.� The commission is
allocated within the Department of Education, but is independent of any
supervision or control by the department thereof.� The commission is responsible
for studying and developing recommendations to improve school safety and
security at institutions of higher education and public and nonpublic
preschool, elementary, and secondary schools throughout the State.�

���� The commission is to consist
of 17 members that include individuals representing State government,
institutions of higher education, law enforcement officers, public and
nonpublic schools, and individuals with expertise in school security.�

���� It is the duty of the
commission to identify potential security challenges and vulnerabilities at
institutions of higher education and public and nonpublic preschool,
elementary, and secondary schools throughout the State.� As to institutions of
higher education, the responsibilities and duties of the commission include:
(1) reviewing campus emergency management plans, emergency response
capabilities, and any other practices implemented at institutions of higher
education; (2) assessing current response times in emergency situations,
including lockdowns, active shooters, and bomb threats; (3) assessing and
analyzing the effectiveness of current campus technology used to ensure safety
and security on college campuses; (4) reviewing the physical infrastructure on
college campuses and the extent to which campuses are equipped with features,
technology, and services to ensure the safety and security of students,
faculty, and visitors; (5) analyzing the mental health services and training
provided on college campuses as it relates to campus security;� (6) considering
strategies to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are reflected in
all areas of emergency planning and response measures; and (7) developing,
based upon the knowledge and experience of its members, guidelines and
recommendations on best practices for ensuring a safe and secure school
environment.

���� As to public and nonpublic
preschool, elementary, and secondary schools, the responsibilities and duties
of the commission include: (1) reviewing current school safety and security
plans adopted by public and nonpublic schools; (2) assessing current response
times in emergency situations, including lockdowns, active shooters, and bomb
threats; (3) assessing and analyzing the effectiveness of current school
technology used to ensure safety and security of school facilities and grounds;
(4) assessing the impact of �Alyssa�s Law,� which generally required the
installation of panic alarms in public schools; (5) reviewing the physical
infrastructure of public and nonpublic schools and the extent to which schools
are equipped with features, technology, and services to ensure the safety and
security of students, staff, and visitors; (6) analyzing the mental health
services and training provided at schools as it relates to school security; (7)
considering strategies to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are
reflected in all areas of emergency planning and response measures; and (8)
developing, based upon the knowledge and experience of its members, guidelines
and recommendations on best practices for ensuring a safe and secure school
environment.

���� Finally the bill requires the
Legislature to review, and as appropriate, pursue legislation towards
implementing the guidelines and recommendations of the commission.� The State
is to appropriate such funds as may be necessary to implement the guidelines
and recommendations of the commission.

���� The sponsor believes that with
the rapid changes in technology and crime prevention, as well as the expansion
of preschool education, there is a need for a permanent commission rather than
occasional task forces on issues surrounding school security.