Bill > A3932

Introduced Session

This bill revises the definition of "harassment, intimidation or bullying" under the "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act." Under that law, the term "harassment, intimidation or bullying" is defined as any gesture, action, or electronic communication that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic. This bill revises the definition to clarify that hazing constitutes harassment, intimidation, or bullying under the law. Currently, the State Board of Education's regulations provide that a school district's policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying can include a statement that bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that may involve a real or perceived power imbalance. This bill recognizes the power imbalance in harassment, intimidation, or bullying incidents and requires that each school district's policy include a statement that harassment, intimidation, or bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. Additionally, this bill requires the Department of Education to revise its model policy and guidance document to reflect the power imbalance between aggressors and victims as it applies to incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying in public schools. Additionally, current law requires each public school teacher to complete two hours of instruction on harassment, intimidation, or bullying in each professional development period. This bill increases the professional development requirement from two to five hours. Finally, this bill requires the department to provide professional development opportunities related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying prevention, the prevalence of harassment, intimidation, and bullying during school and school-sponsored athletic activities, and tools for creating a positive school climate and culture. This professional development is to be made available at no cost to all public school teachers. Under the bill, the department is to consult with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and recognized experts in school bullying from a cross section of academia, child advocacy organizations, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, and government agencies, to develop or identify these professional development opportunities. This bill's provisions implement certain recommendations of the report from the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Task Force, dated December 28, 2023.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Vicky Flynn (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 03/04/2024)

Official Document