Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits public school students and employees from immediately returning to school after leaving country during certain public health emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the presence of certain persons in public schools during a public health emergency and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. If a student, teaching staff member, or other employee of a school district travels outside of the United States during a state of public health emergency, as declared by the Governor pursuant to the “Emergency Health Powers Act,” P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.) due to the spread of a contagious disease, then the person shall not return to the public school until the termination of the public health emergency, or the completion of 14 calendar days following the date of return to the United States, whichever occurs first.
b. A public school student whose absence is mandated pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall have the absence recorded as an excused absence on the student’s attendance record or on that of any group or class of which the student is a member. Any transcript, application, employment form, or any similar form on which information concerning a student’s attendance record is requested shall not include information concerning absences mandated pursuant to subsection a. of this subsection.
c. A teaching staff member or other employee of a school district whose absence is mandated pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be entitled to compensation, benefits, and emoluments as if the person had performed the work during the period of absence. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, supersede, or preempt the rights, privileges, compensation, remedies, and procedures afforded to a teaching staff member or other employee of a school district, or a collective bargaining unit under federal or State law or any provision of a collective negotiations agreement entered into by the school district.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits the students and employees of a school district from immediately returning to the public school after traveling outside of the United States during certain public health emergencies.
Under the bill, if a student, teaching staff member, or other employee of a school district travels outside of the United States during a state of public health emergency, as declared by the Governor pursuant to the “Emergency Health Powers Act,” P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.) due to the spread of a contagious disease, then the person would not be permitted to return to the public school until the termination of the public health emergency, or the completion of 14 calendar days following the date of return to the United States, whichever occurs first.
The bill also provides that any student whose absence is mandated under the bill would have that absence recorded as an excused absence on the student’s attendance record. Additionally, any school district employee whose absence is mandated under the bill would be entitled to compensation, benefits, and emoluments as if the person had performed his work responsibilities during the period of absence.