SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1072

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 14, 1997

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1072 with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill requires that whenever a teacher, administrator, board member, other employee of a board of education, or a labor representative on behalf of an employee makes an allegation in writing that the person has been assaulted by a pupil, the principal shall file a written report of the alleged assault with the superintendent of schools. The superintendent is then to report the alleged assault to the board of education at its next regular meeting.

      Under the bill's provisions, any person who fails to file a report of an alleged assault may be liable to disciplinary action by the board of education of the district, and the board must report to the county superintendent of schools the disciplinary action which it imposes.

      The committee amended the bill to include a labor representative who makes an allegation on behalf of an employee, to require that the allegation be in writing, and to make the liability for disciplinary action an option rather than a mandate.