Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH PENNACCHIO
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Requires school districts to award students high school graduation credits in health, safety, and physical education for completing county fire academy course under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning credit for graduation requirements and supplementing chapter 35 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. A school district shall award a student who successfully completes a course at a county fire academy with credit toward meeting high school graduation requirements for health, safety, and physical education established by statute or regulation, provided that the student:
(1) is between the ages of 16 and 18 years old;
(2) completes an examination, as applicable, to become a junior firefighter, or an equivalent position; and
(3) commits to volunteer at the fire department that serves the municipality in which the student resides for a period of two years.
b. Nothing in this act shall be construed as fulfilling the requirement to become a member of the Junior Firefighter’s Auxiliary established pursuant to N.J.S.40A:14-96.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a school district to award a student who successfully completes a course at a county fire academy with credit toward meeting the high school graduation requirements for health, safety, and physical education if the student meets certain criteria. The student is required to: be between the ages of 16 and 18 years old; complete an examination, as applicable, to become a junior firefighter, or equivalent; and commit to volunteer at the fire department that serves the municipality in which the student resides for a period of two years.