SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 36

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

By Senator BASSANO

A Concurrent Resolution proposing to amend Article VIII, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

    1. The following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

    Amend Article VIII, Section IV, paragraph 1, to read as follows:

    1. The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of five and 18 years. Maintenance and support shall be provided through the enactment, from time to time, of laws prescribing the components of a thorough and efficient system of free schools. These laws shall also provide for the funding of a system of free public schools in the manner and to the extent the Legislature determines to be appropriate, including, but not limited to, the amount of funds to be provided by the State and by the local school districts, the purposes for which these funds are to be expended, the formulas pursuant to which these funds are to be allocated, and the manner and means by which these funds are to be raised; but nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring any minimum or establishing any maximum amount of funds to be pvided by the State, or in any way restricting, limiting, or otherwise affecting the right of the Legislature to regulate the funding of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools in the manner and to the extent the Legislature determines to be appropriate.

    2. When this proposed amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to, pursuant to Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the next general election occurring more than three months after the final agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of each county designated by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior to the general election.

    3. This proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at the election in the following manner and form:

    There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

    a. In every municipality in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede the question, as follows:

    If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross (x), plus (+) or check (√ ) in the square opposite the word "Yes."

    If you are opposed thereto make a cross (x), plus (+) or check (√) in the square opposite the word "No."

    b. In every municipality the following question:

STATEMENT

    This proposed amendment would require the enactment of laws prescribing the components of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools. While these laws would also be required to provide for the funding of a system of free public schools, this proposed amendment specifies that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring any minimum or establishing any maximum amount of funds to be provided by the State, or as in any way restricting, limiting, or otherwise affecting the right of the Legislature to regulate the funding of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools in the manner and to the extent the Legislature determines to be appropriate.

Proposes an amendment to the Constitution to describe the manner in which the Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools.