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A4384
ASSEMBLY, No. 4384
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
���� Directs State Treasurer to debit from State operating
aid allocated to public research university amount equal to costs incurred by
institution in implementing agreements reached with certain student protestors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning aid to public research universities
and supplementing chapter 62 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.� Notwithstanding any
provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the State Treasurer
shall debit from a public research university�s State operating aid an amount
equal to the costs incurred by the institution in implementing any agreements
reached with students protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict that began on
October 7, 2023, including, but not limited to, costs associated with:
���� (1)� the institution�s
acceptance of, and any institutional aid provided for, displaced Gazan
students;
���� (2)� establishing an Arab
Cultural Center;
���� (3)� establishing an
educational and collaborative partnership with Birzeit University;
���� (4)� hiring senior
administrators with cultural competency and knowledge about Arabs,
Palestinians, Muslims, anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobia;
���� (5)� hiring additional
professors specializing in Palestine studies and Middle East studies;
���� (6)� establishing a center for
Palestinian studies and the departmentalization of Middle East studies;
���� (7)� displaying the flags of a
country or territory that is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization as
designated by the United States Secretary of State pursuant to 8 U.S.C. s.1189;
and
���� (8)� providing amnesty to
students, student groups, faculty, and staff involved in anti-Semitic protests
on the campus of the institution.
���� b.� As used in this section,
�public research university� means the same as that term is defined in section
3 of P.L.1994, c.48 (C.18A:3B-3).
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill directs the State
Treasurer to debit from a public research university�s State operating aid an
amount equal to the costs incurred by the institution in implementing any
agreements reached with students protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict that
began on October 7, 2023.
���� Under the bill, aid is to be
reduced by the costs associated with: (1) the institution�s acceptance of, and
any institutional aid provided for, displaced Gazan students; (2) establishing
an Arab Cultural Center; (3) establishing an educational and collaborative
partnership with Birzeit University; (4) hiring senior administrators with
cultural competency and knowledge about Arabs, Palestinians, Muslims,
anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobia; 5) hiring additional professors
specializing in Palestine studies and Middle East studies; (6) establishing a
center for Palestinian studies and the departmentalization of Middle East
studies; (7) displaying the flags of a country or territory that is controlled
by a foreign terrorist organization as designated by the United States
Secretary of State; and (8) providing amnesty to students, student groups,
faculty, and staff involved in anti-Semitic protests on the campus of the
institution.
���� This bill is in response to
encampments on the lawns of Voorhees Mall at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
by students demanding various actions from the institution in response to the
Israel-Hamas conflict. The sponsor notes that Rutgers negotiated with the
trespassing students and came to agreements with students supporting a
terrorist organization. The sponsor also notes that, if implemented, the
agreements will require the spending of taxpayer dollars.