Bill
Bill > ACR50
NJ ACR50
NJ ACR50Proposes an amendment to Constitution specifying a method of providing for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools and allocating all income tax receipts to school districts.
summary
Introduced
01/09/2024
01/09/2024
In Committee
01/09/2024
01/09/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Whereas, paragraph 1 of Article III states, "The powers of the government shall be divided among three distinct branches, the legislative, executive, and judicial. No person or persons belonging to or constituting one branch shall exercise any of the powers properly belonging to either of the others, except as expressly provided in this Constitution." Whereas, paragraph 1 of Section IV of Article VIII states, "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 eighteen years." Whereas, paragraph 2 of Section IV of Article VIII states, "The fund for the support of free public schools...shall be annually appropriated to the support of free public schools, and for the equal benefit of all the people of the State." Whereas, paragraph 7 of Section I of Article VIII states that the income tax is to be, "...annually appropriated...exclusively for the purpose of reducing or offsetting property taxes." This proposed constitutional amendment provides that the Legislature will provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools by appropriating the net receipts from the gross income tax to school districts on a per pupil basis. The amendment also clarifies that nothing in the constitutional provision would restrict, limit, or otherwise affect the right of the Legislature to regulate additional funding to districts. Last, it amends the constitutional provision that authorizes the gross income tax to specify that all of the revenue will be appropriated to school districts, as opposed to school districts, counties and municipalities.
AI Summary
This concurrent resolution proposes an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that would change how public schools are funded by mandating that all net receipts from the state's gross income tax be allocated directly to school districts on a per-pupil basis. The amendment modifies two sections of Article VIII, first by changing the income tax provision to specify that all income tax revenues will go exclusively to school districts (instead of being shared with counties and municipalities), and second by updating the education funding section to require the Legislature to support public schools through this per-student income tax allocation. The resolution explicitly preserves the Legislature's ability to provide additional school funding beyond this mechanism. If approved, the proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to voters at the next general election, with the ballot including an explanatory question and interpretive statement to help voters understand the proposed changes. The goal appears to be creating a more standardized and transparent method of funding public education by directly linking income tax revenue to school district support.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (6)
John DiMaio (R)*,
Erik Peterson (R)*,
Aura Dunn (R),
Dawn Fantasia (R),
Michael Inganamort (R),
Greg McGuckin (R),
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 01/09/2024)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/ACR50 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/ACR/50_I1.HTM |
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