SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4440

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 5, 2025

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4440.

      This bill requires 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 by June 30th of the 2026-2027 school year.  The key box is required to be installed at an appropriate location for permitting emergency responders, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, emergency access to the building.  The 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; and the most recently updated critical incident mapping data, as defined in section 1 of P.L.2019, c.106 (C.18A:41-7.1), in a printed format.

      The bill includes a $2,500,000 appropriation to effectuate the provisions of the bill.