New Jersey S 3851: Creates Office of School Bus Safety in Department of Education; appropriates $200,000. *

Bill Text

S3851 

SENATE, No. 3851 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows possession of bear spray under certain 
conditions. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning possession of bear spray under certain 
conditions and amending P.L.1993, c.211 and N.J.S.2C:39-6.

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

���� 1.� Section 1 of P.L.1993, 
c.211 (C.2A:62A-20) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� Notwithstanding any 
provisions of law to the contrary, a person who possesses a chemical substance 
for the purpose of personal self-defense in accordance with subsection i. of 
N.J.S.2C:39-6 or repelling an aggressive bear in accordance with subsection 
o. of N.J.S.2C:39-6 and who releases or discharges that chemical substance 
upon or toward another person shall not be liable in any civil action for 
damages resulting from that release or discharge when the actor reasonably 
believes that the releasing or discharging of that chemical substance is 
immediately necessary for the purpose of personal self-defense.� Nothing in 
this section shall be deemed to grant immunity to any person causing any damage 
by [his] the 
willful, wanton , or grossly negligent unlawful releasing or discharging 
of such a chemical substance upon or toward another person.

(cf:� P.L.1993, c.211, s.1)� 

���� 2.� N.J.S.2C:39-6 is amended 
to read as follows:

���� 2C:39-6.� a.� Provided a 
person complies with the requirements of subsection j. of this section, 
N.J.S.2C:39-5 does not apply to:

���� (1) Members of the Armed 
Forces of the United States or of the National Guard while actually on duty, or 
while traveling between places of duty and carrying authorized weapons in the 
manner prescribed by the appropriate military authorities;

���� (2) Federal law enforcement 
officers, and any other federal officers and employees required to carry 
firearms in the performance of their official duties;

���� (3) Members of the State 
Police and, under conditions prescribed by the superintendent, members of the 
Marine Law Enforcement Bureau of the Division of State Police;

���� (4) A sheriff, undersheriff, 
sheriff's officer, prosecutor's detective or investigator, State investigator 
employed by the Division of Criminal Justice of the Department of Law and 
Public Safety, investigator employed by the State Commission of Investigation, 
inspector of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Bureau of the Division 
of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety authorized to carry 
weapons by the Superintendent of State Police, State park police officer, or 
State conservation police officer;

���� (5) Except as hereinafter 
provided, a State correctional police officer, or a prison or jail warden of 
any penal institution in this State or the warden's deputies, or an employee of 
the Department of Corrections engaged in the interstate transportation of 
convicted offenders, while in the performance of the employee's duties, and 
when required to possess the weapon by a superior officer, or a correctional 
police officer or keeper of a penal institution in this State at all times 
while in the State of New Jersey, provided the person annually passes an 
examination approved by the superintendent testing the person's proficiency in 
the handling of firearms;

���� (6) A civilian employee of the 
United States Government under the supervision of the commanding officer of any 
post, camp, station, base or other military or naval installation located in 
this State who is required, in the performance of the employee's official 
duties, to carry firearms, and who is authorized to carry firearms by the 
commanding officer, while in the actual performance of the employee's official 
duties;

���� (7) (a) A regularly employed 
member, including a detective, of the police department of any county or 
municipality, or of any State, interstate, municipal or county park police 
force or boulevard police force, at all times while in the State of New Jersey;

���� (b) A special law enforcement 
officer authorized to carry a weapon as provided in subsection b. of section 7 
of P.L.1985, c.439 (C.40A:14-146.14);

���� (c) An airport security 
officer or a special law enforcement officer appointed by the governing body of 
any county or municipality, except as provided in subparagraph (b) of this 
paragraph, or by the commission, board or other body having control of a county 
park or airport or boulevard police force, while engaged in the actual 
performance of the officer's official duties and when specifically authorized 
by the governing body to carry weapons;

���� (8) A full-time, paid member 
of a paid or part-paid fire department or force of any municipality who is 
assigned full-time or part-time to an arson investigation unit created pur