A5667

An Act establishing the New Jersey Civics and Debate Initiative in the Department of Education and supplementing chapter 6 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. The Commissioner of Education shall establish the New Jersey Civics and Debate Initiative in the Department of Education. The purpose of the initiative shall be to increase the availability and quality of speech and debate programs in public schools.

b. The initiative shall support and expand access to Statewide civic literacy and speech and debate programs through activities that include but are not limited to:

(1) educating and training coaches and students;

(2) training judges and volunteers;

(3) promoting educational competition opportunities;

(4) leading training and leadership development experiences;

(5) establishing competition standards; and

(6) maintaining Statewide data reporting.

c. The initiative shall host a variety of civics and debate events throughout the State and shall provide logistical support and coordination support for other initiatives in the State that advance speech and debate programs for students.

d. Funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the initiative’s purposes may be applied towards the following expenses of the initiative:

(1) administrative operations, including staffing, insurance, compliance, reporting, and infrastructure;

(2) programmatic operations, including curriculum, training, summer programs, workshops, camps, and mentorship programs;

(3) tournament operations, including logistics, staff, judge training, technology, awards, and regional team operations;

(4) travel, lodging, training, and transportation for participants;

(5) public-private partnership development, including sponsorship and philanthropic support;

(6) membership, affiliations, and participation fees related to civics education, speech, debate, leadership, and academic competition programs; and

(7) any other related expense approved by the Commissioner of Education.

2. The Commissioner of Education shall report annually to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the work and impact of the initiative.

3. The Legislature shall annually appropriate to the Department of Education no less than $1,450,000 to effectuate the purposes of this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the New Jersey Civics and Debate Initiative in the Department of Education.

The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish the New Jersey Civics and Debate Initiative in the Department of Education. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the availability and quality of speech and debate programs in public schools.

The bill directs the initiative to support and expand access to Statewide civic literacy and speech and debate programs through activities including but not limited to:

(1) educating and training coaches and students;

(2) training judges and volunteers;

(3) promoting educational competition opportunities;

(4) leading training and leadership development experiences;

(5) establishing competition standards; and

(6) maintaining Statewide data reporting.

The initiative is directed to host a variety of civics and debate events throughout the State and to provide logistical support and coordination support for other initiatives in the State that advance speech and debate programs for students.

Under the bill, funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the initiative’s purposes may be applied towards the following expenses of the initiative:

(1) administrative operations, including staffing, insurance, compliance, reporting, and infrastructure;

(2) programmatic operations, including curriculum, training, summer programs, workshops, camps, and mentorship programs;

(3) tournament operations, including logistics, staff, judge training, technology, awards, and regional team operations;

(4) travel, lodging, training, and transportation for participants;

(5) public-private partnership development, including sponsorship and philanthropic support;

(6) membership, affiliations, and participation fees related to civics education, speech, debate, leadership, and academic competition programs; and

(7) any other related expense approved by the Commissioner of Education.

Finally, the bill directs the Legislature to annually appropriate $1.45 million to the Department of Education to effectuate the bill’s purposes.