Bill Text: NJ A1092 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "Workforce Investment for New Teachers Act"; provides $5,000 refundable gross income tax credit to new teachers in low-performing school districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A1092 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A1092-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
"Workforce Investment for New Teachers Act"; provides $5,000 refundable gross income tax credit to new teachers in low-performing school districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing an income tax credit program for certain classroom teachers and supplementing Title 54A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Workforce Investment for New Teachers Act."
2. a. A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due for the taxable year under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act," N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq., in an amount equal to $5,000 if the taxpayer is an eligible educator employed in an eligible school district.
b. As used in this section:
"Eligible educator" means a classroom teacher employed in an eligible school district who works at least 900 hours during the school year and begins employment in the eligible school district after the effective date of this act.
"Eligible school district" means any school district that meets the criteria of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2):
(1) among all students in that school district to whom a State assessment was administered, the percent of students scoring in the partially proficient range in both the language arts and mathematics subject areas of the State assessments exceeded 40% in each of the prior two school years; or
(2) among all students in that school district to whom a State assessment was administered, the percent of students scoring in the partially proficient range in either the language arts or mathematics subject area of the State assessment exceeded 65% in each of the prior two school years.
c. The amount of the credit allowed pursuant to this section shall be applied against the tax otherwise due under N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq. The priority in which the credit allowed pursuant to this section and any other credits shall be taken shall be as determined by the Director of the Division of Taxation. If the credit exceeds the amount of tax otherwise due, the amount of the excess shall be an overpayment for the purposes of N.J.S.54A:9-7; provided however, that subsection (f) of N.J.S.54A:9-7 shall not apply. The credit provided under this section as a credit against the tax otherwise due and the amount of the credit treated as an overpayment shall be treated as a credit towards or overpayment of gross income tax, subject to all provisions of N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq. The credit shall be applied in the tax year in which the school year concludes.
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section to the contrary, in the event that a school district is no longer considered to be an eligible school district, an eligible educator shall continue to be eligible to receive the tax credit, provided that the classroom teacher continues employment in the school district.
e. The Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury shall adopt regulations in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), and prescribe forms to administer the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill creates a refundable tax credit of $5,000 for classroom teachers initially employed in eligible school districts after the effective date of this bill. An eligible school district is defined as one in which, for the past two school years: more than 40% of the district's students did not pass the language arts and mathematics subject areas of the State assessments; or more than 65% of the students did not pass either the language arts or mathematics subject areas. The purpose of the bill is to attract new teachers who, in the absence of the incentive, may pursue teaching opportunities in other districts.
