NJ
New Jersey Assembly Bill A1039

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

New Jersey Assembly Bill A1039

Introduced
1/9/24  

Caption

Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

Impact

If enacted, A1039 will directly impact the educational standards set by the New Jersey Department of Education for health and physical education. The bill requires that students receive information regarding the correlation between distracted driving behaviors and the likelihood of accidents, as well as statistics on the injuries and fatalities associated with these behaviors. This instruction will not only seek to educate the students but also aims to foster a culture of safety and responsibility among young drivers as they prepare to enter the road as licensed motorists.

Summary

Assembly Bill A1039, sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Kanitra and Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin, aims to incorporate instruction regarding the dangers of texting while driving into the educational curriculum of New Jersey public school districts. Specifically, the bill requires that starting with the 2012-2013 school year, all school districts include this instruction in their health education curriculum for students in grades 9 through 12. The initiative seeks to raise awareness among young drivers about the risks of distracted driving, particularly those caused by cell phone usage.

Contention

While the bill predominantly reflects a commitment to improving driver safety through education, it may face potential challenges concerning the resources available to implement this curriculum effectively. School districts might express concerns over the allocation of time and resources to supplement existing programs with additional instructional content. In addition, as with many educational reforms, there may be discussions around the effectiveness of education versus enforcement in reducing distracted driving incidents among teenagers.

Latest A1039 Activity

Companion Bills

NJ A1636

Carry Over Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ S123

Carry Over Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

Previously Filed As

NJ A1636

Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ S452

Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ S123

Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ A2012

Requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of electronic cigarette usage as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ A1826

Requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of electronic cigarette usage as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ A648

Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ A618

Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ S679

Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ S2925

Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

NJ A1711

Requires school districts to provide instruction on risks of compulsive gambling as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

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