ASSEMBLY, No. 1418

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ROBERT AUTH

District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Peterson, Scharfenberger, Catalano, McGuckin, DiMaio, Assemblywoman McCarthy Patrick and Assemblyman DePhillips

SYNOPSIS

     Provides that public school parent who objects to learning material or activity that parent considers harmful may receive voucher from school district to enroll student in nonpublic school.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning vouchers for certain public school students and supplementing chapter 35 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    In the event that the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school district objects to a learning material or activity that is part of the curriculum, on the basis that the material or activity is harmful, withdraws his child from the school district and enrolls the child in a nonpublic school, the resident school district shall provide the parent or guardian with a voucher to support the tuition and fees of the nonpublic school.  The voucher shall equal 75 percent of the resident school district’s annual spending per pupil prorated based upon the number of days remaining in the school year.

     An objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes, but is not limited to, an objection that the material or activity questions, violates, or conflicts with the parent or guardian’s belief or practice regarding sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, conscience, ethics, morality, or religion.

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill provides that in the event that the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school district objects to a learning material or activity that is part of the curriculum, on the basis that the material or activity is harmful, withdraws his child from the school district and enrolls the child in a nonpublic school, the resident school district is required to provide the parent or guardian with a voucher to support the tuition and fees of the nonpublic school.  The voucher will equal 75 percent of the resident school district’s annual spending per pupil prorated based upon the number of days remaining in the school year.

     An objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes, but is not limited to, an objection that the material or activity questions, violates, or conflicts with the parent or guardian’s belief or practice regarding sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, conscience, ethics, morality, or religion.