This bill prohibits New Jersey's four-year public colleges from charging tuition or fees to the spouse or dependent child of a disabled veteran who meets specific criteria. To qualify, the student must be accepted for undergraduate study, have applied for all available state/federal grants and scholarships, and applied for VA tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The state will reimburse institutions for waived tuition costs. It directly affects disabled veterans' families seeking undergraduate education at public universities.
This bill provides educational support professionals (non-teaching school staff) with up to four years of seniority credit for active military service they completed, including service before starting their school job. To qualify, a professional must be declared eligible for federal veterans' benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The credit counts as if the professional were employed full-time during their military service, directly affecting their seniority calculations for school district benefits and job protections. The bill aligns seniority treatment for these staff with existing provisions for teaching staff.
This bill would allow New Jersey students receiving Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) aid to qualify for food assistance (SNAP) without meeting the federal 20-hour weekly work requirement typically needed for student SNAP participation. It directly affects low-income college students who receive EOF grants, which provide financial aid for higher education. The exemption requires federal approval first - New Jersey must apply for this within 90 days - and cannot take effect until federal law, regulation, or a waiver permits it without penalty to the state. After approval, the state must implement the change and run a public awareness campaign to inform students about the new eligibility.
This bill protects working parents and legal guardians of school-aged children (Kindergarten through 12th grade) during school closures caused by state or public health emergencies. It prohibits employers from requiring these employees to work in person if their job can be done remotely, unless the employer proves remote work would cause an undue hardship to business operations. The law includes a rebuttable presumption that remote work is feasible if an employee has already worked remotely for two consecutive pay periods, and employers cannot penalize staff for requesting or using remote work. Violations carry escalating fines: $1,000 for the first offense, $5,000 for the second, and $10,000 for each subsequent violation.
This bill provides tuition assistance to retired New Jersey law enforcement officers who retired due to disability. Eligible officers can attend public colleges or approved private institutions tuition-free for up to 16 credits per semester, provided they apply for all available federal and state student aid first. The program covers undergraduate and graduate studies at qualifying institutions, mirroring a similar existing benefit for National Guard members. It applies only to officers who retired in good standing after meeting minimum service requirements (four+ years) and meeting disability retirement criteria under specific statutes. The state will reimburse institutions for tuition not covered by other aid.
This bill requires boards of trustees at New Jersey State colleges/universities and county colleges to include two employee members. These members must be recommended by labor organizations representing staff, appointed by the Governor, and serve two-year terms (with initial one-year terms for some). Employee members have full voting rights except on matters involving staff employment or working conditions. The law directly affects all State and county college boards by mandating staff representation on governance bodies.
New Jersey's Assembly Bill A4294 establishes the "Two to Four Tuition Free Students Program," covering full tuition costs for eligible students who attend a county college for their first two years of undergraduate study before transferring to a public four-year college. To qualify, students must be accepted to a public four-year institution, qualify for the State Tuition Aid Grant, apply for all available grants/scholarships, elect to attend their county college for two years, and meet income thresholds (NJ Eligibility Index ≤2499). The program ensures all credits earned at the county college transfer fully toward a bachelor's degree at the four-year institution. It applies specifically to students enrolled in New Jersey county colleges and public four-year universities, with no cost to the student for tuition during the covered periods.
New Jersey's A4348 bill establishes a 10-member task force to examine school discipline policies and practices in public schools, with a specific focus on racial disparities and effectiveness. The task force will study current discipline methods - including their impact on preschool students and racial groups - and evaluate how well policies promote school safety while reducing problem behaviors. It will also review federal guidance (like the 2014 Dear Colleague Letter) and best practices to recommend improvements for equitable discipline. The task force must submit a final report with findings and recommendations within 12 months of organizing.
S 3354 would expand New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program to include part-time undergraduate students at eligible public and private colleges and universities. Currently, only full-time students qualify, but this bill adds that part-time students meeting financial need and academic requirements would receive TAG awards, with each part-time year counting as half a full-time year toward the maximum four-and-one-half-year eligibility period. This change directly affects part-time students who are currently excluded from the state's financial aid program, making them eligible for the same grant support as full-time students.
This bill requires all New Jersey school districts to submit their emergency communication plans to the Department of Education by October 1 of the first full school year after the law takes effect. School districts must review and resubmit these plans every five years or immediately after any emergency incident occurs at a school. The Department of Education, working with homeland security and emergency management agencies, will review the plans to ensure they comply with state laws and may suggest improvements. The law defines "emergency communication policies" as procedures for schools to contact emergency responders, staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders during crises.
