A 5254 — "Jack Reid Law: Protect All Students Act"; prohibits harassment or bullying of nonpublic school students and requires nonpublic schools to adopt anti-harassment and bullying policy.

A5254 1R ASSEMBLY, No.

Assemblyman DePhillips, Assemblywoman Peterpaul, Assemblyman Karabinchak, Assemblywomen BagolieBagolie, Brennan, Flynn and BrennanAssemblyman  Simonsen       SYNOPSIS      “Jack Reid Law:

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

occurs off school property and creates, or would foreseeably create, a1[a risk of substantialsubstantial]1 disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation, or abuse, including verbal and nonverbal actions, might reach school property.

     “Nonpublic school” means an elementary or secondary school within the State, other than a public school, offering education for grades kindergarten through 12, or any combination of them, wherein any child may legally fulfill compulsory school attendance requirements and1[and which complies with the requirements of Title VI of the "Civil Rights Act of 1964," Pub.L.88-352 (42 U.S.C.

s.2000d et seq.).seq.)]1.

     1“School day” means any day, including a partial day, that the nonpublic school is open for instructional, athletic, or extra-curricular purposes.1      “School function” means a school-sponsored extracurricular event or activity.

     1“School vehicle” means and includes a school bus, school vehicle type I, or school vehicle type II as those terms are defined in R.S.39:1-1.1        3.  a.

Harassment or bullying, including cyberbullying, 1as defined pursuant to section 2 of this act,1 of a student enrolled in a nonpublic school by another student or students enrolled in a nonpublic school on school property or1[or] ,1 at a school functionfunction1, or occurring off school property1 shall be prohibited.       b.  Upon a report of an 1alleged1 incident of harassment or bullying against a student enrolled in a nonpublic school, the principal or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school, or a designee, shall promptly investigate the incident.  The principal or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school, or a designee, shall document the findings of the investigation within five school days after the completion of the investigation.  The principal or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school, or designee, shall communicate the findings of the investigation with the victim in an age-appropriate manner and take immediate and appropriate action to1[to ensure thatthat] intended to stop1 any confirmed harassment or bullying is1[is stoppedstopped]1 to ensure1[ensure] protect1 the safety of the victim. victim.    TheThe principal or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school, or designee, shall take appropriate action to ensure1[ensure] protect1 the safety of any individual who in good faith reports an incident of harassment or bullying or assists in the investigation of an incident of harassment or bullying.       c.  Each nonpublic school shall adopt an anti-harassment and bullying policy, which shall be written in plain language and published on the school’s Internet website or internal parent and student portal.  The policy shall be shared annually with employees of the nonpublic school and each enrolled student and their parents or guardians.  The policy shall include, but not be limited to, information on:

     (1) the definition of harassment or bullying, as provided in section 11[1] 21 of this act;

       4.  1a.1 Nothing in this act shall be construed to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously-based views protected under the First First Amendment Amendment to the the United United States States Constitution and1[and] ,1 Article I of the New Jersey Constitution.Constitution1, or the religious exemption provisions of the New Jersey “Law Against Discrimination,” P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.).

       5.b.  A nonpublic school shall not be exempt from the requirements of this act solely because the school is operated or maintained by a bona fide religious or sectarian institution.

This     c.  The provisions of this act shall takenot effectbe onconstrued theto firstpreclude daya ofnonpublic theschool fourthfrom monthalso beginningelecting afterto comply with the dateprovisions of enactment. the STATEMENT“Anti-Bullying  Bill     of ThisRights bill,Act,” titledP.L.2002, thec.83 “Jack(C.18A:37-13 Reidet Law:seq.) in accordance with section 29 of P.L.2010, c.122 (C.18A:37-31)1.

Protect  All Students Act,” prohibits bullying of nonpublic school students and requires each nonpublic school to adopt an anti-harassment and bullying policy.       Under15.  theIf bill,any harassmentprovision or bullying, including cyberbullying, of athis nonpublicact school student by another student or studentsthe enrolledapplication inthereof ato nonpublicany schoolperson on school property or atcircumstance a school function is prohibited. held     invalid, Thethe billinvalidity providesshall thatnot uponaffect aother reportprovisions of an incident of harassment or bullyingapplications against a student enrolled in a nonpublic school, the principal or chief school administrator of the nonpublicact school,which orcan abe designee,given willeffect promptlywithout investigate the incident. invalid Theprovision principal or chiefapplication, school administrator, or a designee, will communicate the findings of the investigation with the victim and take immediate and appropriate action to ensurethis thatend, any confirmed harassment or bullying is stopped to ensure the safetyprovisions of thethis victim. act Theare billseverable.1 requires  the     principal1[5.] or6.1 chief This schoolact administratorshall of the nonpublic school, or designee, to take appropriateeffect actionon to ensure the safetyfirst ofday any individual who in good faith reports an incident of harassmentthe orfourth bullyingmonth orbeginning assistsafter in the investigationdate of anenactment.  incident of harassment or bullying.

     The bill further requires each nonpublic school to adopt an anti-harassment and bullying policy, which is to be written in plain language and published on the school’s website or internal parent and student portal.  The policy is required to be shared annually with employees of the nonpublic school and each enrolled student and their parents or guardians.       Under the bill, the policy is required to include, at a minimum, information on:

     (1) the definition of harassment or bullying;

     (2) the process for reporting, investigating, and documenting an alleged incident of harassment or bullying;

and      (3) an age-appropriate process for notifying the victim about the outcome of any investigation of an alleged incident.       Finally, the bill requires any nonpublic school employee who witnesses an incident of harassment or bullying, or receives an oral or written report of harassment or bullying, to promptly notify the principal or chief school administrator of the school, or designee, orally not later than one school day after the school employee witnesses or receives a report of harassment or bullying, and to file a written report with the principal or chief school administrator, or designee, within two school days.          The bill clarifies that its provisions are not to be construed to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously-based views protected under the First  Amendment  to the  United  States  Constitution and Article I of the New Jersey Constitution.

     This bill establishes requirements for nonpublic schools relating to bullying of students that are separate from those already established for public schools.  Under current State law, each public school is required to abide by the provisions of the "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act."  While nonpublic schools are encouraged in State law to comply with the provisions of that act, they are not required to do so.