ASSEMBLY SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4639

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 21, 2024

      The Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4639.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires a board of education of a school district that utilizes a video surveillance system with artificial intelligence capabilities to adopt a policy regarding the use of the surveillance system.

     Under this bill, the policy, at a minimum, is to: (1) include information on the surveillance system installed by the district, including the benefits and challenges of utilizing the system; (2) identify the type of information that is to be collected through the surveillance system; (3) include information on how the board plans to utilize the information obtained through the surveillance system; (4) address the board’s plan to provide access to the information obtained through the surveillance system; and (5) require the board to post signage in a prominent, public place in buildings and on school grounds where the surveillance system may be used.  The signage is required to indicate that a surveillance system with artificial intelligence capabilities is in use in the building or on the school grounds.

     The bill clarifies that the policy adopted by the board is to comply with the current law that requires the establishment of a memorandum of understanding between the board of education and law enforcement in regard to video surveillance equipment that is capable of streaming live videos wirelessly to remote locations.

     Additionally, a board of education that is required to establish a policy under this bill is required to distribute the policy to the parents and guardians of students within the district.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments:

      (1)  apply the term “surveillance system” consistently throughout the bill; and

      (2)  require a board of education to indicate in posted signage that a surveillance system with artificial intelligence capabilities is in use in a building or on school grounds.