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Bill > A2563


NJ A2563

NJ A2563
Requires school districts to alert school employees of threats to school community.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires school districts to alert school employees of threats to school community. This bill requires a school employee to immediately notify the principal or the principal's designee if the employee has information that an individual has threatened, is planning or otherwise intends to cause death, serious bodily injury, or significant bodily injury to another person under circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe the individual genuinely intends at some time in the future to commit the violent act or carry out the threat. After being notified by the school employee, the principal or the principal's designee is to immediately report the incident to the appropraite law enforcement agency. The bill stipulates that the principal's designee may by any member of the school's threat assessment team. If the appropriate law enforcement agency determines the report is an imminent credible threat, then the principal or the principal's designee is to: (1) immediately notify the students, the parents and guardians of the students, teachers, and all staff of the school emergency; (2) place the individual on a list that prohibits access to school property and school-sponsored events; and (3) distribute the list to all school employees where the threat was made and the administrators of all the schools in the district and neighboring school districts that may be impacted by the threat. The bill specifies that the notification is to disclose information regarding the threat as deemed appropriate by the law enforcement agency, which may include: (1) the individual's name; (2) a picture of the individual; and (3) a description of the threat. Under the bill, an individual who is not a school employee may notify the principal or the principal's designee of a threat pursuant to the provisions of this bill. The bill stipulates that a school employee, including the employee that identifies the threat, the principal or principal's designee, or any other officer or agent of a board of education, is not to be held liable for any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of this bill. Additionally, the bill amends current law to specify that training on school safety and security is to include emergency response protocols, such as notifying the school community of threats and the establishment and enforcement of procedures that prohibit access of certain individuals to school property and school-sponsored events as established in the bill.

AI Summary

This bill mandates that school districts must alert school employees to threats against the school community by requiring any school employee who learns of an individual threatening to cause death, serious bodily injury, or significant bodily injury to another person to immediately report it to the principal or their designee, who may be a member of the school's threat assessment team. The principal or designee must then immediately report the incident to law enforcement. If law enforcement determines the threat is imminent and credible, the principal or designee must notify students, parents, teachers, and all staff of the emergency, place the individual on a list barring them from school property and events, and distribute this list to all school employees and administrators in the district and neighboring districts. The notification can include the individual's name, picture, and a description of the threat, as determined by law enforcement. The bill also allows individuals who are not school employees to report threats, and it clarifies that school employees and officials acting in good faith according to these provisions will not be held liable. Additionally, existing training requirements for school employees on safety and security will now explicitly include protocols for notifying the school community about threats and procedures for prohibiting access to school property for individuals deemed a threat.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (4)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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