A 5186 — Establishes School Security Pilot Program in DOE; appropriates $15 million.*

A5186 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

GREENWALD District 6 (Burlington and Camden)    Co-Sponsored  by:   SYNOPSIS      Establishes County-Based School Security Pilot Program in DOE;

Assemblyman Simonsen         SYNOPSIS      Establishes School Security Pilot Program in DOE;

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Assembly Education Committee on September 14, 2026, with amendments.

   An Act establishing the County-Based1[County-Based]1 School Security Pilot Program, supplementing chapter 41 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.

     “Pilot1[“Pilot county” means Essex, Mercer, and Camden counties.counties.]      “Participating district” means a school district selected by the commissioner to participate in the pilot program.1      “Pilot program” means the “1[County-Based]1 School Security Pilot Program,” established pursuant to subsection b.

     “Pilot program” means the “County-Based School Security Pilot Program,” established pursuant to subsection b.

     b. 1“Rolling Theremobile isballistic establishedshield insystem” themeans Departmenta ofwheeled Educationor arolling, three-yearmaneuverable “County-Basedballistic Schoolprotection Securitysystem Pilotdesigned Program,”to whichprovide shallsubstantially establishfull-body county-basedballistic mentalcoverage, healthfrom servicesapproximately forhead publiclevel schoolto studentslower-extremity andlevel, provideto securityone infrastructureor tomore publicpersons schools.while permitting protected movement during an active-threat response, rescue, evacuation, or other emergency operation.

The pilotsystem programshall: shall be established in the counties of Essex, Mercer, and Camden.

     c. (1) Themeet commissioneror shallexceed work in collaboration with the Commissionerballistic ofperformance Humanrequirements Services,associated thewith CommissionerNational ofInstitute Children and Families, and the Director of theJustice StateLevel OfficeIII ofprotection, Emergencyor Managementan inequivalent theor Divisionsuccessor ofballistic-resistance Statestandard Policerecognized inby the DepartmentNational Institute of LawJustice; and Public Safety to implement the pilot program which shall include, but not be limited to:

     (1) (2) incorporate a county-basedtransparent mentalballistic healthviewing programcomponent availablesufficient to studentspermit residingforward inobservation awhile pilotmaintaining countyballistic andprotection; attending a public school that incorporates the following:

and      (3) be configured to permit deployment and maneuverability through standard school building corridors and doorways.1      b.  There is established in the Department of Education a three-year “1[County-Based]1 School Security Pilot Program,” which shall 1[establish county-based] supplement1 mental health services for 1[public school]1 students 1enrolled in school districts1 and provide security infrastructure to 1[public schools] school districts1.

1[The pilot program shall be established in the counties of Essex, Mercer, and Camden.] A school district wishing to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner in a manner and on such forms as determined by the commissioner.

The commissioner shall select school districts for participation in the program pursuant to a methodology established by the commissioner.1      c.  The commissioner shall work in collaboration with the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, and the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management in the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety to implement the pilot program which shall include, but not be limited to:

     (1)  a 1[county-based] supplemental1 mental health program available to students 1[residing in a pilot county and attending a public school] enrolled in a participating district1 that incorporates the following:

and      (2)  additional security supports for school1[school] participating1 districts within1[within a pilot countycounty]1 including, but not limited to, expanded access to training for active shooter scenarios;

bullet-resistant1[bullet-resistant mobile ballistic shields;shields] rolling mobile ballistic shield systems1 ;

of this section, the commissioner shall consider the security needs of 1[the district] districts applying to participate in the districtpilot program1 as reflected in the data reported in the commissioner’s annual report on violence, vandalism, and harassment, intimidation, or bullying in the school district, as required pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1982, c.163 (C.18A:17-48).

            2.   2.   The commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), not more than one year after the implementation of the pilot program, and annually thereafter for a total of three years.

The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, an evaluation of the mental health services available to students in a pilot1[pilot county,county] participating district1, and the recommendations of the commissioner on the advisability of continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.

       3.    There is appropriated $151[$15 millionmillion] $15,000,0001 from the General Fund to the Department of Education to implement the provisions of section1[section 1 of P.L.    , c.    (C.      ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).bill)] this act1.

    STATEMENT        This bill establishes the County-Based School Security Pilot Program in the Department of Education.

     The County-Based School Security Pilot Program would establish county-based mental health services for public school students and provide security infrastructure to certain public schools in Essex, Mercer, and Camden counties for three years.

     This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to work in collaboration with the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, and the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public Safety to implement the pilot program.

The pilot program established under the bill is required to include a county-based mental health program available to students residing in a pilot county and attending a public school.

The mental health program would incorporate individual and group clinical mental health services;

referrals to community-based mental health care providers;

evidence-based interventions;

mental health screenings;

and crisis intervention.

The pilot program would also provide additional security supports for school districts within a pilot county including expanded access to training for active shooter scenarios;

bullet-resident mobile ballistic shields;

and other protective equipment as deemed necessary by the commissioner.

     The bill requires the commissioner to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature within one year after the implementation of the pilot program and annually thereafter for a total of three years.

Additionally, this bill appropriates $15 million from the General Fund to the department.

     This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.