Establishes task force to strengthen and streamline State's anti-bullying policies, procedures, and guidelines in schools.

S4117

SENATE, No. 4117

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Corrado and Diegnan

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes task force to strengthen and streamline
State�s anti-bullying policies, procedures, and guidelines in schools.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing a task force to strengthen and
streamline the State�s anti-bullying policies, procedures, and guidelines.

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

���� 1.��� a.� There is established
a task force to strengthen and streamline the State�s anti-bullying policies,
procedures, and guidelines in the State�s public schools.

���� b.� The task force shall
consist of 13 members as follows:

���� (1) the Commissioner of
Education, ex officio, or a designee;�

���� (2) four members of the
public, each of whom has specialized knowledge or expertise in issues related
to the work of the task force. One of the public members shall be appointed by
the President of the Senate, one shall be appointed by the Senate Minority
Leader, one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one
shall be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; and

���� (3) eight members appointed by
the Governor, who shall include: one member upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Education Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey School Counselor Association; one member upon
the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists; one
member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Public Charter Schools
Association; and one member upon the recommendation of the Garden State
Coalition of Schools.

���� c.� The appointments to the
task force shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this act. �Vacancies
in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointments were made.� Members of the task force shall serve without
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in
the performance of their duties as members of the task force within the limits
of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its
purposes.

���� d.��� The task force shall
organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the
appointment of its members.� The task force shall choose a chairperson from
among its members.� The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a
member of the task force.

���� e.���� The Department of
Education shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative
assistants, and any professional staff as the task force requires to carry out
its work.� The task force shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and
avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or
municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require
and as may be available for its purposes.

���� 2.��� It shall be the duty of
the task force established pursuant to section 1 of this act to:

���� a.� evaluate applicable State
law concerning harassment, intimidation, or bullying, particularly the
�Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act,� P.L.2002, c.83 (C.18A:37-13 et seq.), and
any amendments or supplements thereto, and make recommendations for legislative
or administrative action to streamline a school district�s response to
harassment, intimidation, or bullying;

���� b.� make recommendations to
reduce a school district�s administrative burden in responding to incidents of
harassment, intimidation, or bullying;

���� c.� make recommendations to
assist school districts in expediting a response to incidents of harassment,
intimidation, or bullying;

���� d.� evaluate the definition of
harassment, intimidation, or bullying pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2002, c.83
(C.18A:37-14) and make recommendations for any necessary revisions;

���� e.� examine the appeals
process for determinations of harassment, intimidation, or bullying and make
recommendations for any necessary revisions;

���� f.� research a tiered
discipline approach, which considers factors such as the age of the student,
to� determine if use of the approach may be appropriate in the State; and

���� g.� research best practices
that other states have implemented to respond to incidents of harassment,
intimidation, and bullying that may be replicated in the State.

���� 3.��� The task force
established pursuant to section 1 of this act shall issue a final report to the
Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1), no later than six months after the organization of the task
force. The report shall contain the task force�s findings and recommendations,
including any recommendations for legislation or administrative action that it
deems appropriate.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately, and the task force shall expire 30 days after the issuance
of its final report.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes a task
force to strengthen and streamline the State�s anti-bullying policies,
procedures, and guidelines in the State�s public schools.

���� The task force is to consist
of 13 members as follows: the Commissioner of Education, or a designee; four
members of the public, each of whom has specialized knowledge or expertise in
issues related to the work of the task force and are appointed by legislative
leadership; and eight members of the public representing the education
community who are appointed by the Governor.

���� Under the bill, the task force
is to:

�

evaluate applicable State law concerning harassment,
intimidation, or bullying,� and make recommendations for legislative or
administrative action to streamline a school district�s response to harassment,
intimidation, or bullying;

�

make recommendations to reduce a school district�s administrative
burden in responding to incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying;

�

make recommendations to assist school districts in expediting a
response to incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying;

�

evaluate the definition of harassment, intimidation, or bullying
in State law and make recommendations for any necessary revisions;

�

examine the appeals process for determinations of harassment,
intimidation, or bullying and make recommendations for any necessary revisions;

�

research a tiered discipline approach, which considers various
factors such as the age of the student, to determine if use of the approach may
be appropriate in the State; and

�

research best practices that other states have implemented to
respond to incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying that may be
replicated in the State.

���� The bill directs the task
force to issue a final report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than
six months after the organization of the task force. The task force is to
expire 30 days after the issuance of its final report.