S 2457 — Permits excused absence for students participating in college visits, visits to postsecondary technical institutions, and military recruitment-related activities.

S2457 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

Senators Corrado, Space, Tiver, Amato, Mukherji, Beach, SarloSarlo, Cruz-Perez, Diegnan and Cruz-PerezO'Scanlon         SYNOPSIS      Permits excused absence for students participating in college visits, visits to postsecondary technical institutions, and military recruitment-related activities.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingreported Technicalby Reviewthe bySenate LegislativeMilitary Counsel.and Veterans' Affairs Committee on February 19, 2026, with amendments.

   An Act concerning excused absences from public school for college visits,1[ ]1visits, visits to postsecondary technical institutions, and military recruitment-related activities and supplementing chapter 36 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

       1.    a.  Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and in order to support multiple pathways to college and career for high school students in New Jersey, a pupil of a public school enrolled in grades 11 or 12 shall be eligible for a cumulative total of three excused absences per school year for the purpose of college visits or visits to postsecondary technical institutions. institutions If1and sucha pupilcumulative istotal absentof fromthree excused absences per school year to complete a military recruitment-related activity,activity1. the pupil shall have the absence for that purpose recorded as an excused absence on the pupil’s attendance record.

Any If transcript,such application,pupil employment form, or any similar form on which information concerning a pupil's attendance record is requestedabsent shallfrom notschool show excused absences authorized pursuant to thiscomplete subsection.  In making a determinationmilitary onrecruitment-related whetheractivity, athe studentpupil hasshall ahave perfectthe attendanceabsence record for thethat schoolpurpose year,recorded a public school shall not consider as an absence an excused absence authorizedon pursuantthe topupil’s thisattendance subsection.record.

 Any transcript, application, employment form, or any similar form on which information concerning a pupil's attendance record is requested shall not show excused absences authorized pursuant to this subsection.  In making a determination on whether a student has a perfect attendance record for the school year, a public school shall not consider as an absence an excused absence authorized pursuant to this subsection.

    STATEMENT        This bill permits excused absences for students participating in college visits, visits to postsecondary technical institutions, and military recruitment-related activities.

     The bill requires a student enrolled in grades 11 or 12 to be eligible for a cumulative total of three excused absences per school year for the purpose of college visits or visits to postsecondary technical institutions.  If such student is absent from school to complete a military recruitment-related activity, the pupil will have the absence for that purpose recorded as an excused absence on the pupil’s attendance record.  The absence is not to be included on a student’s transcript, application, employment form, or any similar form requested.  The absence is also not to be considered when determining if a student has a perfect attendance record for the school year.

     Under the bill, a military recruitment-related activity means any activity required by the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard to be eligible to enlist in military service, including, but not limited to, any testing, medical or physical evaluations, interviews, and fingerprinting.