New Jersey S 3697: Requires BPU to designate solar portion of critical renewable microgrid as solar energy project under Community Solar Energy Program; requires Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to designate certain microgrids as assets of importance.

Bill Text

S3697 

SENATE, No. 3697 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires board of education to directly employ 
certain professionals; permits board of education to contract for certain 
personnel; permits use of virtual or remote instruction for public school 
students in certain circumstances. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning school employees and virtual or 
remote instruction and supplementing chapter 27 and 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.�� The Legislature finds 
and declares that:

���� a.� It is the public policy of 
this State that personnel directly employed by the board of education of a 
public school in the State provide the highest quality of education for New 
Jersey students. 

���� b.� Every effort should be 
made to have the personnel of a public school be directly employed by the board 
of education.

���� c.� In certain cases, it is 
necessary for a board of education to contract certain services from qualified 
and certified individuals in order to the serve the students of the State.

���� d.� It is altogether necessary 
and proper for the Legislature to establish requirements for boards of 
education to directly employ certain individuals and ensure services contracted 
by boards of education are of the highest quality.

���� 2.��� As used in sections 1 
through 6 of P.L.�� , c.��� (C.���� ) (pending before the Legislature as this 
bill):

���� �Board of education� means and 
includes a board of education as defined in N.J.S.18A:18A-2, the board of 
directors of an educational services commission, and the administrative board 
of a renaissance school project or any other local education agency.

���� �Individualized student 
learning opportunities� means student experiences, including independent study, 
study abroad programs, student exchange programs, and structured learning 
experiences, including, but not limited to: work-based programs; internships; 
apprenticeships; and service-learning experiences; based on specific 
instructional objectives that meet or exceed the New Jersey Student Learning 
Standards for students in grades nine through 12 pursuant to regulations 
promulgated by the State Board of Education.

���� �Public school� means and 
includes a school, under college grade, which derives its support entirely or 
in part from public funds, a school district, a charter school, a renaissance 
school project, an educational services commission, or any other local education 
agency.

����� 3.�� � Except as otherwise 
expressly permitted pursuant to 
P.L. , c. (C. ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill) 
, any other law, or by an exemption 
provided by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to section 4 or section 5 of 
P.L. , c. (C.������� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), a board of education 
shall directly employ all persons performing any duty, function, service, 
assignment, or job requiring an appropriate certificate issued by the State 
Board of Examiners for, or on behalf of, a board of education.

����� 4.�� a.� 
The Commissioner of Education shall establish a process for a board of 
education to apply for an exemption from the provisions of section 3 of P.L.��� 
, c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on a 
case-by-case basis.

����� b.� 
The exemption may be granted for personnel necessary to operate a specified 
program or course offered by a school district that supplements the educational 
programming of the district. The exemption may include personnel necessary to 
operate an alternative education program, programming to address learning loss, 
or remedial education.

����� c.� 
An exemption granted by the commissioner pursuant to this section shall not 
exempt a board of education from directly employing any personnel providing 
instruction for the courses or curriculum implemented by a district to satisfy 
the New Jersey Student Learning Standards or as part of the district�s 
implementation of school graduation requirements for a State-endorsed diploma.

����� 5.�� a.� 
The Commissioner of Education shall establish a process for a charter school or 
a renaissance school project to apply for an exemption from the provisions of 
section 3 of P.L.��� , c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as 
this bill) for personnel performing any school nursing services on a 
case-by-case basis.

����� b.� 
The commissioner shall post any determinations issued pursuant to subsection a. 
of this section on the department�s Internet website, excluding any personally 
identifiable information.

����� 6.�� Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill) to the contrary, a board of 
education