ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5720

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 16, 2025

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5720.

      As amended, this bill requires, by June 30th of the 2026-2027 school year, that each board of education of a school district and each board of trustees of a charter school or renaissance school project provide for the installation at each school building of at least one exterior key box that meets or exceeds Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037, or another nationally recognized industry standard for antitheft alarms and devices, at the time of installation.  The key box is required to be installed at an appropriate location for permitting emergency responders, including law enforcement and fire personnel, emergency access to the building.  The amended bill permits a board of education or board of trustees to allow emergency medical services personnel access to the key box as deemed appropriate.  Pursuant to the amended bill, emergency responders are to utilize shared key boxes for a school building whenever possible.  A board of education and board of trustees, in collaboration with emergency responders, is required to determine the precise location of the key box. 

      The key box is required to contain keys and other access control devices as are necessary to access each building and room located on the entire school grounds.

      The amended bill also permits the board of education of a school district and board of trustees of a charter school or renaissance school project to be exempt from the amended bill’s requirement to install a key box.  The board is required to apply to the Commissioner of Education for an exemption.  The commissioner may approve the application for exemption if the board has implemented certain alternative plans and procedures that meet standards prescribed by the amended bill.

      The amended bill includes a $2.5 million appropriation to effectuate the provisions of the bill and specifies that costs incurred by school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects necessary for compliance with the amended bill would be borne by the State.  School districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects that purchase and install key boxes after the effective date of the bill would be able to apply to the Commissioner of Education for reimbursement.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· permit key boxes to meet nationally recognized industry standards for antitheft alarms and devices other than Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037;

· establish a mechanism for the board of education of a school district and the board of trustees of a charter school or renaissance school project to apply to the Commissioner of Education for exemption from the requirement to install a key box.  The commissioner may approve the application for an exemption if the board has implemented an alternative plan and procedures that provide emergency access to a school building and the plan and procedures are  equivalent to or exceed the key box requirements of the bill;

· provide that emergency medical services personnel are not required to have access to the key box, but may be granted access if a board of education or board of trustees deems it appropriate;

· require, wherever possible, emergency responders to utilized shared key boxes for a school building in collaboration with the school district, charter school, or renaissance school project;

· remove the provision that the key boxes contain the most recently updated critical incident mapping data;

· stipulate that costs incurred by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project necessary for compliance with the bill would be borne by the State; and

· specify that school districts, charter school, and renaissance school projects that purchase and install key boxes after the effective date of the bill would be able to apply to the commissioner for reimbursement.