Bill Text: NJ A3691 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 34-0)

Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2014-01-21 - Pocket Veto - Bills not Acted on by Governor-end of Session [A3691 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3691-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3691

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

215th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 14, 2013

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblyman  PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Assemblyman  RUBEN J. RAMOS, JR.

District 33 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman  L. GRACE SPENCER

District 29 (Essex)

Assemblywoman  CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblywoman  ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywoman Wagner, Assemblyman Johnson, Assemblywomen Jasey, Watson Coleman, Assemblymen Singleton, Fuentes, Wilson, Giblin, Assemblywomen Riley, Lampitt, Assemblymen Coutinho, Eustace, Burzichelli, DeAngelo, Assemblywoman Jimenez and Assemblyman Gusciora

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on November 18, 2013, with amendments.

  

An Act concerning school security alarms and supplementing chapter 41 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    a.  As used in this section:

     "Emergency light" means a red light that is affixed to the exterior of a school building in a highly visible location above or near the front entrance ¹or, in the case of a school building which is not clearly visible from the nearest public roadway, located on that public roadway¹ .

     "Panic alarm" means a silent security system signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring a response from law enforcement.

     b.    Each public elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or active shooter situation.  The alarm shall be directly linked to local law enforcement authorities ¹or, in the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, a location designated by the Superintendent of State Police,¹  and shall immediately transmit a signal or message to such authorities upon activation.  The alarm shall not be audible within the school building.

     c.    Each public elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with an emergency light that is linked to the school's panic alarm and which turns on when the panic alarm is activated.

 

     ¹2.   Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of section 14 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-14) to the contrary, the proceeds of bonds authorized to be issued to fund the State share of the costs of SDA district school facilities projects or the State share of the costs of school facilities projects in all other districts, including county vocational school districts, shall be used to fund the full cost of the panic alarms and emergency lights required in public elementary and secondary school buildings in any district pursuant to section 1 of this act. ¹

 

     ¹[2.] 3.¹     This act shall take effect on the first day of the tenth month after enactment.