ASSEMBLY HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4897

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 9, 2024

      The Assembly Higher Education Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 4897 with committee amendments.

     As amended, this bill revises current State law requiring certain student identification cards to contain the telephone number for a suicide prevention hotline.

     Under the amended bill, a public school or an institution of higher education that issues student identification cards is required to print the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources, as determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education or Secretary of Higher Education, as applicable, on the back of each student identification card.

     Under current law, a public school or an institution of higher education that issues student identification cards is required to print the telephone number for the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline (NJ Hopeline) and contact information for a crisis text line on the back of each student identification card.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· stipulate that the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources printed on a student identification card is to be determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education or Secretary of Higher Education, as applicable; and

· specify that the provisions of the bill apply to new student and replacement student identification cards issued in the first full school year or academic year, as applicable, next following the date of enactment.