ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1167

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 20, 1996

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No.1167.

      This bill prohibits any teacher, principal or other educational personnel from conducting any strip search or body cavity search of any pupil.

      The bill in its original form prevented any teaching staff member, principal or other educational personnel from conducting any strip searches or body cavity searches if they had reasonable grounds to believe that a pupil may have committed an act which would constitute a criminal offense. The committee amended this provision of the bill by prohibiting strip searches or body cavity searches under any circumstances regardless of whether the school personnel had reasonable grounds to believe that the pupil had committed a criminal offense.

      In its original form this bill would have clarified the procedures to be utilized when a school official had reasonable grounds to believe that a pupil had committed a criminal offense. The committee amendments delete this provision of the bill.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 1996 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which has been performed.