Proposes constitutional amendment describing manner in which Legislature provides required maintenance and support of public schools.

ACR149

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 149

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Auth

SYNOPSIS

���� Proposes constitutional amendment describing manner
in which Legislature provides required maintenance and support of public
schools.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution
proposing to amend Article VIII, Section IV,
paragraph 1 of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.

����
Be It Resolved

by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

���� 1.��� The following proposed
amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

PROPOSED
AMENDMENT

���� Amend Article VIII, Section
IV, paragraph 1, to read as follows:

���� 1.� The Legislature shall
provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of
free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State
between the ages of five and 18 years.�
Maintenance and support shall be
provided through the enactment, from time to time, of laws prescribing the
components of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools.� These
laws shall also provide for the funding of a system of free public schools in
the manner and to the extent the Legislature determines to be appropriate,
including, but not limited to, the amount of funds to be provided by the State
and by the local school districts, the purposes for which these funds are to be
expended, the formulas pursuant to which these funds are to be allocated, and
the manner and means by which these funds are to be raised; but nothing herein
contained shall be construed as requiring any minimum or establishing any
maximum amount of funds to be provided by the State, or in any way restricting,
limiting, or otherwise affecting the right of the Legislature to regulate the
funding of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools in the manner
and to the extent the Legislature determines to be appropriate.

���� 2.��� When this proposed
amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to, pursuant to Article IX,
paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the
next general election occurring more than three months after the final
agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of
each county designated by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior
to the general election.

���� 3.��� This proposed amendment
to the Constitution shall be

submitted to the people at the
election in the following manner and form:

���� There shall be printed on each
official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

���� a.���� In every municipality
in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede
the question, as follows:

���� If you favor the proposition
printed below make a cross (x), plus (+) or check (
T
) in the square opposite the word "Yes."

���� If you are opposed thereto
make a cross (x), plus (+) or check (
T
)
in the square opposite the word "No."

���� b.��� In every municipality
the following question:

THOROUGH
AND EFFICIENT EDUCATION LAWS

YES

Shall the amendment of Article VIII,
Section IV, paragraph 1 of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey,
providing that the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system
of free public schools shall be provided through the enactment, from time to
time, of laws prescribing the components of the system, and providing that
nothing shall be construed as requiring any minimum or establishing any
maximum amount of funds to be provided by the State, or as in any way
restricting, limiting, or otherwise affecting the right of the Legislature to
regulate the funding of a thorough and efficient system of free public
schools in the manner and to the extent the Legislature determines to be
appropriate, be approved?

INTERPRETIVE
STATEMENT

NO

This constitutional amendment
describes the manner in which the Legislature shall provide for the
maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public
schools.

STATEMENT

���� This proposed amendment would
require the enactment of laws prescribing the components of a thorough and
efficient system of free public schools.� While these laws would also be
required to provide for the funding of a system of free public schools, this
proposed amendment specifies that nothing herein contained is to be construed
as requiring any minimum or establishing any maximum amount of funds to be
provided by the State, or as in any way restricting, limiting, or otherwise
affecting the right of the Legislature to regulate the funding of a thorough
and efficient system of free public schools in the manner and to the extent the
Legislature determines to be appropriate.