Thursday, March 8, 2012

Christie, Allen, Others Preserve NJ Anti-Bullying Law



New Jersey State Senator Diane Allen (R- Burlington)  voiced her strong support for Governor Christie's pledge to preserve New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (ABBRA), saying that a collaborative effort with the Administration, herself, and others has yielded a remedy to unfunded mandate concerns expressed by the New Jersey Council on Local Mandates that put the law in jeopardy of being nullified.

Allen, a prime sponsor of the landmark legislation, is sponsoring changes in light of a recent decision by the Council on Local Mandates to strike down ABBRA due to unfunded cost concerns. Governor Christie thanked the Senator and her staff for their hard work on this legislative fix. Without changes being signed into law this month, the law would most likely be nullified.

"This law is vital to providing every child in our education system with a safe learning environment," Allen said. "I heartily commend the Governor for taking a stand in favor of addressing the Council's concerns rather than allowing the law to be negated."

Allen said that the Council's concerns will be remedied by appropriating funds to reimburse districts for expenses incurred in meeting the training and education requirements of the law.

In addition, Allen highlighted the formation of a task force charged with helping school districts implement ABBRA and making recommendations to ease any difficulties identified in the implementation process.

"The task force is an extremely important part of this legislation because it, in addition to the funding, will help ease any administrative burdens that districts may face in implementing ABBRA," Allen continued. "With students who report being bullied in school far more likely to contemplate, attempt, or succeed in committing suicide, it is incumbent upon us as a state to invest the time and resources necessary to eradicate this problem from our education system. This law gives parents and teachers the tools necessary to avert tragedy, and it must be preserved."

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