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S3238
SENATE, No. 3238
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 2, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires Type I school districts and charter schools
to establish citizen budget oversight committee to monitor district�s or
charter school�s financial position.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the establishment of citizen budget
oversight committees in Type I school districts and charter schools and
supplementing chapters 22 and 36A 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.�� The board of
education of a Type I school district shall establish a citizen budget
oversight committee.� The committee shall act as an advisor to the board of
education and work with the board to monitor the financial position of the
school district.� The committee shall have access to financial documents and
financial information of the school district that are relevant to the financial
position of the school district, subject to redaction of information deemed to
be confidential for the purposes of P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.).
���� The committee�s
responsibilities shall include, but need not be limited to:
���� (1)�� Reviewing the school
district�s revenues and expenditures on a monthly basis with the school
business administrator and reporting monthly to the entire board of education
on the financial status of the district and the committee�s activities;
���� (2)�� At the discretion of the
committee or at the request of a majority of the board of education, providing
a review, analysis, and recommendations regarding special district initiatives
or the school district budget;
���� (3)�� Reviewing the school
district�s recommended school tax levy; and
���� (4)�� Making information
requests to the board of education through a person designated by the board to
be its committee liaison.
���� b.��� The citizen budget
oversight committee shall consist of at least five members, including parents
with students enrolled in the school district, educators residing in the school
district, and taxpayers residing in the school district.� To the extent feasible,
at least two of the members shall have the educational or vocational expertise
to review financial statements.�
���� The board of education shall
post membership openings for the citizen budget oversight committee on the
school district�s website and in a prominent location in each school building
at least 15 working days prior to the start of the selection process.� The
board of education shall designate a selection committee comprised of two
educators from the school district, one of whom shall be a teacher, a member of
the board of education, and at least two parents or community members who are
not school district employees or members of the board of education.� The
selection committee shall evaluate applications submitted by individuals
seeking appointment to the citizen budget oversight committee and, using a
rubric designated by the Department of Education, identify individuals for the
citizen budget oversight committee.� The individuals identified by the
selection committee shall be presented to the board of education for approval
at a regular meeting of the board.
���� The Department of Education
shall develop a model application form for membership on the citizen budget
oversight committee, which shall be made available to all Type I school
districts.� The model membership application form shall include, but need not be
limited to, the following information:� name and address; identification of any
potential conflicts of interest; educational background; experience; and a
statement of interest for participation on the committee.� The school district
may include on its application form requests for additional information that it
deems appropriate for evaluating individuals interested in becoming members of
the committee.
���� c.���� A member of the citizen
budget oversight committee shall serve for a term of two years and until his
successor is appointed, except that the members first appointed shall serve for
staggered terms determined by the board of education.� An individual�s
appointment to the committee may be terminated by the board of education for an
identified conflict of interest, a lack of participation, or any other act
deemed by the board of education as detrimental to the successful support of
the district.
���� d.��� The citizen budget
oversight committee shall select, by a majority vote of the members of the
committee, a chairperson, co-chairperson, and recording secretary from among
its members.
���� e.���� Members of the citizen
budget oversight committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be
eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in
the performance of their official duties, within the limits of funds
appropriated or otherwise made available to the committee for its purposes.
���� f.���� Each new member of the
citizen budget oversight committee shall complete a training program developed
by the Department of Education within the first two months of the member�s
first term.� The training program shall, at a minimum, consist of two hours and
cover the following topics: an overview of the school district budget process
and timelines; instruction in the basic rules of budgeting, including State
funds, local funds, and federal funds; and reporting requirements.
���� 2.��� a.���� The board of
trustees of a charter school shall establish a citizen budget oversight
committee.� The committee shall act as an advisor to the board of trustees and
work with the board to monitor the financial position of the charter school.�
The committee shall have access to financial documents and financial
information of the charter school that are relevant to the financial position
of the charter school, subject to redaction of information deemed to be
confidential for the purposes of P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.).
���� The committee�s
responsibilities shall include, but need not be limited to:
���� (1)�� Reviewing the charter
school�s revenues and expenditures on a monthly basis with the school business
administrator and reporting monthly to the entire board of trustees on the
financial status of the charter school and the committee�s activities;
���� (2)�� At the discretion of the
committee or at the request of a majority of the board of trustees, providing a
review, analysis, and recommendations regarding special charter school
initiatives or the charter school budget; and
���� (3)�� Making information
requests to the board of trustees through a person designated by the board to
be its committee liaison.
���� b.��� The citizen budget
oversight committee shall consist of at least five members, including parents
with students enrolled in the charter school, educators residing in the charter
school district of residence, and a representative from the Department of Education.�
To the extent feasible, at least two of the members shall have the educational
or vocational expertise to review financial statements.
���� The board of trustees shall
post membership openings for the citizen budget oversight committee on the
charter school�s website and in a prominent location in each school building at
least 15 working days prior to the start of the selection process.� The board
of trustees shall designate a selection committee comprised of two educators
from the charter school, one of whom shall be a teacher, a member of the board
of trustees, and at least two parents or community members who are not charter
school employees or members of the board of trustees.� The selection committee
shall evaluate applications submitted by individuals seeking appointment to the
citizen budget oversight committee and, using a rubric designated by the
Department of Education, identify individuals for the citizen budget oversight
committee.� The individuals identified by the selection committee shall be
presented to the board of trustees for approval at a regular meeting of the
board.
���� The Department of Education
shall develop a model application form for membership on the citizen budget
oversight committee, which shall be made available to all charter schools.� The
model membership application form shall include, but need not be limited to,
the following information:� name and address; identification of any potential
conflicts of interest; educational background; experience; and a statement of
interest for participation on the committee.� The charter school may include on
its application form requests for additional information that it deems
appropriate for evaluating individuals interested in becoming members of the
committee.
���� c.���� A member of the citizen
budget oversight committee shall serve for a term of two years and until his
successor is appointed, except that the members first appointed shall serve for
staggered terms determined by the board of trustees.� An individual�s
appointment to the committee may be terminated by the board of trustees for an
identified conflict of interest, a lack of participation, or any other act
deemed by the board of trustees as detrimental to the successful support of the
charter school.
���� d.��� The citizen budget
oversight committee shall select, by a majority vote of the members of the
committee, a chairperson, co-chairperson, and recording secretary from among
its members.
���� e.���� Members of the citizen
budget oversight committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be
eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in
the performance of their official duties, within the limits of funds
appropriated or otherwise made available to the committee for its purposes.
���� f.���� Each new member of the
citizen budget oversight committee shall complete a training program developed
by the Department of Education within the first two months of the member�s
first term.� The training program shall, at a minimum, consist of two hours and
cover the following topics: an overview of the charter school budget process
and timelines; instruction in the basic rules of budgeting, including State
funds, local funds, and federal funds; and reporting requirements.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year
following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires that the
board of education of a Type I school district and the board of trustees of a
charter school establish a citizen budget oversight committee.� The committee
would act as an advisor to the board and work with the board to monitor the
financial position of the school district or charter school.� The committee�s
responsibilities would include, but need not be limited to:
���� (1)�� Reviewing the school
district�s or charter school�s revenues and expenditures on a monthly basis
with the school business administrator and reporting monthly to the entire
board on the financial status of the district or charter school and the
committee�s activities;
���� (2)�� At the discretion of the
committee or at the request of a majority of the board, providing a review,
analysis, and recommendations regarding special school district or charter
school initiatives or the school district or charter school budget; and
���� (3)�� Making information
requests to the board through a person designated by the board to be its
committee liaison.
���� In the case of a committee
established in a Type I school district, the committee will also review the
school district�s recommended school tax levy.
���� The citizen budget oversight
committee would consist of at least five members with, to the extent feasible,
at least two of the members having the educational or vocational expertise to
review financial statements.� For a Type I school district, the committee will
consist of parents, educators, and taxpayers residing in the school district.�
For a charter school, the committee will consist of parents with students in
the charter school, educators residing in the charter school district of
residence, and a representative of the Department of Education.� A selection
committee designated by the board will evaluate applications submitted by
individuals seeking appointment to the citizen budget oversight committee and
present the candidates it has identified to the board of education or board of
trustees for approval at a regular meeting of the board.�
���� Each new member of the citizen
budget oversight committee will be required to complete a training program
developed by the Department of Education within the first two months of the
member�s first term.� The training program will consist, at a minimum, of two
hours and cover the following topics: an overview of the school district or
charter school budget process and timelines; instruction in the basic rules of
budgeting; and reporting requirements.