New Jersey A 3143: Removing requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations, thereby broadening eligibility for certain veterans' benefits.

Bill Text

A3143 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3143 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JAY WEBBER

District 26 (Morris and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Dunn

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain candidates for employment with DOE 
to undergo criminal history background check.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning criminal history record checks for certain applicants 
for employment with the Department of Education, amending P.L.1998, c.31,� and 
supplementing P.L.1986, c.116 (C.18A:6-7.1 et seq.).

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

���� 1.��� (New section)� a.� The 
Department of Education shall not employ any person to serve in a position 
which involves entering school facilities as part of the position�s job 
responsibilities, unless the department has first determined that no criminal 
history record information exists on file in the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Identification Division, or the State Bureau of Identification 
which would disqualify that individual from employment in the public schools of 
this State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1986, c.116 (C.18A:6-7.1 et seq.).

���� b.��� The applicant for 
employment shall submit to the Commissioner of Education his or her name, 
address, and fingerprints taken in accordance with procedures established by 
the commissioner.� The commissioner is authorized to exchange fingerprint data 
with, and receive criminal history record information from, the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation and the Division of State Police for use in making the 
determinations required by this section. No criminal history record check shall 
be conducted without the applicant�s written consent to the check. The 
applicant shall bear the cost for the check, including all costs for 
administering and processing the check.

���� c.���� The commissioner shall 
apply the same requirements, procedures, and standards and shall proceed in the 
same manner as is prescribed in P.L.1986, c.116 (C.18A:6-7.1 et seq.) for 
determining whether the applicant would be qualified or disqualified for employment 
in the public schools, and shall inform the applicant of his determination in 
writing.� The Department of Education shall not employ the applicant to serve 
in a position covered by this section if the applicant�s criminal history 
record check reveals a record of conviction for which public school employment 
candidates are disqualified pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1986, c.116 
(C.18A:6-7.1).

���� d. �� Following qualification 
for employment with the Department of Education pursuant to this section, the 
State Bureau of Identification shall immediately forward to the Commissioner of 
Education any information which the bureau receives on a charge pending against 
an employee of the department who was required to undergo a criminal history 
record check as a condition of employment.� If the pending charge results in 
conviction for any crime or offense enumerated in section 1 of P.L.1986, c.116 
(C.18A:6-7.1), the employee shall not be eligible for continued employment in a 
position covered by this section.

���� e.���� Notwithstanding the 
provisions of this section, an individual shall not be disqualified from 
employment under this section on the basis of any conviction disclosed by a 
criminal history record check performed pursuant to this section without an 
opportunity to challenge the accuracy of the disqualifying criminal history 
record.

���� 2.��� Section 13 of P.L.1998, 
c.31 (C.18A:6-7.2a) is amended to read as follows:

���� 13.� The Commissioner of 
Education is authorized to:

���� a.���� receive all criminal 
history data necessary to complete the criminal history records check as 
required pursuant to P.L.1986, c.116 (C.18A:6-7.1 et seq.) [and] , 
section 6 of P.L.1989, c.104 (C.18A:39-19.1), and P.L.��� , c.�� (C.���� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), or as permitted pursuant to 
P.L.1989, c.229 (C.18A:6-4.13 et seq.);

���� b.��� receive all data in 
accordance with section 3 of� P.L.1986, c.116 (C.18A:6-7.3), section� 6 of 
P.L.1989, c.104 (C.18A:39-19.1) [and] , 
section 3 of� P.L.1989, c. 229 (C.18A:6-4.15) , and 
P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending 
before the Legislature as this bill) on charges pending against an employee 
or school bus driver who has previously undergone a criminal history records 
check; and

���� c.���� adjust the fees set by 
the Department of Education for the criminal history records checks.

(cf: P.L.2002, c.119, s.5) 

���� 3.��� This act shall take 
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires a candidate 
for employment with the New Jersey Department of Education for a position which 
involves entering school facilities as part of the position�s job 
responsibilities, to undergo a criminal history record check.� T