The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee approved today Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick’s bipartisan proposal to improve school security throughout New Jersey.

“The bipartisan School Security Task Force will combine top school safety experts who will make sure New Jersey schools are doing everything possible to keep our children safe,” Bramnick, R-Union, Morris and Somerset, said.

The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee approved a committee substitute for A-1613, which Bramnick has
sponsored since 2008. It has bipartisan support from Assemblymen Gordon Johnson, D-Bergen, and Gilbert “Whip” Wilson, D-Camden. The 15-member Educational Security Task Force would assist the New Jersey Department of Educational Security Task Force in developing security guidelines and standards for public schools.

“Our goal is to help schools prepare for any emergency that might arise,” Bramnick said. “We need to know which security measures work well and whether our schools have any deficiencies that can be strengthened before a tragedy occurs.”

The task force will consist of the state Education Commissioner, Homeland Security and Preparedness Director, Schools Construction Corporation CEO, legislators and public members – both educators and school security experts.

Members will not be compensated and will submit recommendations to the State Board of Education.

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