Designates week of February 24 through March 2 of each year as "Say Something Week."

AJR121

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 121

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates week of February 24 through March 2 of
each year as �Say Something Week.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
designating the week of February
24 through March 2 of each year as �Say Something Week.�

Whereas,

There is an epidemic of school violence in the country that is putting
children�s physical, mental, and emotional well-being at risk; and

Whereas,

In 2018 there were 113 people killed in school shootings, making it the single
worst year for school shootings in United States history; and

Whereas,

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children and teenagers and
in 2016 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there were
more than twice as many suicides as homicides; and

Whereas,

Nearly 80 percent of school shooters told someone of their plans prior to the
shooting and seven out of 10 people who commit suicide tell someone or give an
indication of what they are planning; and

Whereas,

Empowering youth to recognize warning signs and get help for individuals before
they hurt themselves or others can help save countless lives; and

Whereas,

�Say Something Week� is designed to raise awareness and provide learning
opportunities to middle and high school students, teaching them what to do in
the event they learn of a potential threat of violence; and

Whereas,

The primary objectives of �Say Something Week� are to teach students to look
for warning signs, signals, and threats, to act immediately, to take signs and
threats seriously, and to say something to a trusted adult before someone hurts
themselves or others; and

Whereas,

Creating lasting change requires that schools engage with the students and the
larger school community to create concrete steps that students can take when
they learn of potentially violent acts; and

Whereas,

By building a culture of students looking out for one another and reporting
possible threats of violence when someone sees, reads, or hears something,
entire communities will become safer and lives will be saved; now, therefore,

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

���� 1.��� The week of February 24
through March 2 of each year shall be designated as �Say Something Week� to
raise awareness and promote activities that protect school communities from
violence before it happens.

���� 2.��� The Governor is
requested to issue a proclamation designating �Say Something Week� and call
upon public officials, public high schools and middle schools, and all citizens
of the State to observe this week with appropriate events and activities.

���� 3.��� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This resolution designates the
week of February 24 through March 2 each year as �Say Something Week� to help
prevent youth violence in schools.� The goal of the week is to train and
empower students to know what to do if they hear about a potential violent
incident being planned.� Nearly 80 percent of school shooters told someone of
their plans prior to the shooting and seven out of 10 people who commit suicide
tell someone or give an indication of what they are planning.� By giving
students and the school community the support and training they need, New
Jersey can reduce the amount of violence in schools that threaten students on a
daily basis.