Read the full stored bill text
A5186
ASSEMBLY, No. 5186
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED JUNE 1, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� ROSAURA "ROSY" BAGOLIE
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman� LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes County-Based School Security Pilot
Program in DOE; appropriates $15 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
establishing the County-Based School Security Pilot
Program, supplementing chapter 41 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and
making an appropriation.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� As used in this act:
���� �Commissioner� means the
Commissioner of Education.
���� �Pilot county� means Essex,
Mercer, and Camden counties.
���� �Pilot program� means the
�County-Based School Security Pilot Program,� established pursuant to
subsection b. of this section.
���� b.� There is established in
the Department of Education a three-year �County-Based School Security Pilot
Program,� which shall establish county-based mental health services for public
school students and provide security infrastructure to public schools. The
pilot program shall be established in the counties of Essex, Mercer, and
Camden.
���� c.� The commissioner shall
work in collaboration with the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner
of Children and Families, and the Director of the State Office of Emergency
Management in the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public
Safety to implement the pilot program which shall include, but not be limited
to:
���� (1)� a county-based mental
health program available to students residing in a pilot county and attending a
public school that incorporates the following: individual and group clinical
mental health services; referrals to community-based mental health care
providers; evidence-based interventions; mental health screenings; and crisis
intervention; and
���� (2)� additional security
supports for school districts within a pilot county including, but not limited
to, expanded access to training for active shooter scenarios; bullet-resistant
mobile ballistic shields; and other protective equipment as deemed necessary by
the commissioner.
���� d.� In selecting school
districts to receive additional security supports pursuant to subsection c. of
this section, the commissioner shall consider the security needs of the
district as reflected in the data reported in the commissioner�s annual report on
violence, vandalism, and harassment, intimidation, or bullying in the school
district, as required pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1982, c.163 (C.18A:17-48).
���� 2.��� The commissioner shall
submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2
of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), not more than one year after the
implementation of the pilot program, and annually thereafter for a total of
three years. The report shall contain information on the implementation of the
pilot program, an evaluation of the mental health services available to
students in a pilot county, and the recommendations of the commissioner on the
advisability of continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.
���� 3.��� There is appropriated
$15 million from the General Fund to the Department of Education to implement
the provisions of section 1 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.����� ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect in the first full school year following the date of enactment, but the
Commissioner of Education may take anticipatory administrative action in
advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill establishes the
County-Based School Security Pilot Program in the Department of Education.
���� The County-Based School
Security Pilot Program would establish county-based mental health services for
public school students and provide security infrastructure to certain public
schools in Essex, Mercer, and Camden counties for three years.
���� This bill directs the
Commissioner of Education to work in collaboration with the Commissioner of
Human Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, and the Director of
the State Office of Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public Safety
to implement the pilot program. The pilot program established under the bill is
required to include a county-based mental health program available to students
residing in a pilot county and attending a public school. The mental health
program would incorporate individual and group clinical mental health services;
referrals to community-based mental health care providers; evidence-based
interventions; mental health screenings; and crisis intervention. The pilot
program would also provide additional security supports for school districts
within a pilot county including expanded access to training for active shooter
scenarios; bullet-resident mobile ballistic shields; and other protective
equipment as deemed necessary by the commissioner.
���� The bill requires the
commissioner to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature within one
year after the implementation of the pilot program and annually thereafter for
a total of three years. Additionally, this bill appropriates $15 million from
the General Fund to the department.
���� This bill was pre-filed for
introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.� As reported,
the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been
performed.