Requires certain school security measures to be incorporated into new school construction and existing school buildings.

A4147

ASSEMBLY, No. 4147

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain school security measures to be
incorporated into new school construction and existing school buildings.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning public school facilities and amending
P.L.2016, c.79.

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

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2016,
c.79 (C.18A:7G-5.2) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� a.�� In the case of new
school construction undertaken by a district or the development authority, in
addition to the Best Practices Standards for Schools under Construction or
Being Planned for Construction set forth by the Department of Community
Affairs, the district or the development authority, as applicable, shall
provide in the architectural design for the new construction that:

���� (1)�� wherever possible, a
building site shall be chosen with adequate space to accommodate bus and
vehicular traffic separately and permit additional space for the proper
evacuation of occupants;

���� (2)�� wherever possible, bus
drop-off/pick-up areas shall be separated from other vehicular drop-off/pick-up
areas;

���� (3)�� wherever possible,
pedestrian routes shall be separated from vehicular routes, and crossing of the
two shall be minimized;

���� (4)�� the number of anterior
doors shall be kept to a minimum as necessary to satisfy operational
considerations and meet code requirements, and wherever possible exterior door
hardware shall be eliminated from doors that are intended only for emergency
egress;

���� (5)�� there is a single public
entrance to be used during the school day which shall be equipped with a
security vestibule with interior doors that must be released by school security
or other staff.� The district or development authority shall give consideration
to providing bullet resistant glazing in the interior vestibule doors and
windows;

���� (6)�� all marked entrances
shall conform to a uniform numbering system in order to assist emergency
responders in locating particular areas.� The principal's office shall have a
secondary exit;

���� (7)�� interior door locks on
spaces that will serve as safe havens during lockdowns shall have a keyless
locking mechanism;

���� (8)�� new school buildings
shall be provided with access control systems which allow for remote locking
and unlocking of all building access doors; and

���� (9)�� new school buildings
shall be designed and built in such a manner that areas intended for public use
may be separated and secured from all other areas.

���� b.��� In the case of new
school construction undertaken by a district or the development authority, and
in the case of existing school buildings, a district or the development
authority, as applicable, shall:

���� (1)�� employ the Crime
Prevention through Environmental Design principles;

���� (2)�� require security
personnel to be in uniform;

���� (3)�� make driveways one way
[
, if possible,
]
that lead to
a clearly marked visitor parking area.� STOP signs and other traffic calming
devices shall be used to keep vehicles at a reasonable speed;

���� (4)�� place bollards along the
roadway or curb line in front of the school to prevent vehicles from gaining
access to exterior walls, windows, and doors, or in areas of the property where
vehicles are prohibited;

���� (5)�� clearly mark the
school's main entrance and make it easily visible and recognizable;

���� (6)�� limit the number of
doors for access by staff;

���� (7)�� lock exterior doors, and
when they are in use for a large entry/exit provide that they are staffed and
monitored;

���� (8)�� utilize an access
control system with remote unlocking features, an intercom, and fixed cameras
at the school's main entrance and for other entrances
[
as funding
permits
]
;

���� (9)�� clearly mark all
entrances with a numerical sequence to allow for specific response by police,
fire, and emergency medical services responders;

���� (10)� maintain a parking decal
or tag system for all staff and students who park on campus in order to easily
identify unauthorized vehicles on the property;

���� (11)� locate enclosures for
utilities that are outside a school building away from the building to ensure
that they do not provide roof access;

���� (12)� provide adequate and
properly maintained lighting around the buildings and parking lots;

���� (13)�
[
if funding,
staffing, and site approval are possible,
]

provide a guard shack and gate on the school campus as an effective perimeter
control;

���� (14)�
[
where the
footprint of the school allows, and if funding is available,
]
create secure
vestibules at the main entrance of the school building.� The exterior door
entrance to the school shall allow access by a visitor only to the vestibule
and the doors to the remainder of the building shall be locked;

���� (15)� adopt school district
policies and procedures to clearly indicate that propping open doors is
strictly prohibited, and that students and staff shall not open a door for
anyone.� All persons seeking entry to the building shall be directed to the
main entrance;

���� (16)� use surveillance cameras
as a target-hardening tool;

���� (17)� provide a dedicated
server and generator for security systems, such as access control and
surveillance cameras, in order to secure information and ensure efficient
operation in an emergency;

���� (18)� use ballistic or shatter
resistant film for glass entrance door sidelights and other vulnerable first
floor areas; and

���� (19)� maintain a strict key
distribution protocol that requires staff to sign for keys and return them at
the end of each school year.

���� c.���� The commissioner, in
consultation with the development authority, may revise the architectural
design standards for new school construction established pursuant to subsection
a. of this section and the standards for new school construction and existing school
buildings established pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to reflect new
recommendations or changes in best practices for school security.

(cf: P.L.2016, c.79, s.1)

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill amends C.18A:7G-5.2
to require that new public school construction and existing public school
buildings include certain items that under the original law were only required
under certain conditions.� The items that will be required under the bill are:

�

one way
driveways that lead to a clearly marked visitor parking area;

�

an access
control system with remote unlocking features, an intercom, and fixed cameras
at the school's main entrance and for other entrances;

�

a guard shack
and gate on the school campus as an effective perimeter control; and

�

secure
vestibules at the main entrance of the school building.