Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.
District 9 (Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator McKnight
SYNOPSIS
Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning student suicide prevention and amending P.L.2021, c.261.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.261 (C.18A:6-113.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. A public school that includes any of the grades seven through 12 and that issues student identification cards shall have printed on the back of the student identification cards the telephone number for [the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline (NJ Hopeline) and contact information for a crisis text line] mental health and suicide crisis resources, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services. A public school may, in addition to the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources, provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or any other mental health support service.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.261, s.1)
2. Section 2 of P.L.2021, c.261 (C.18A:3B-73.1) is amended to read as follows:
2. An institution of higher education that issues student identification cards shall have printed on the back of the student identification cards the telephone number for [the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline (NJ Hopeline) and contact information for a crisis text line] mental health and suicide crisis resources, as determined by the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.261, s.2)
3. Section 3 of P.L.2021, c.261 (C.18A:3B-73.2) is amended to read as follows:
3. [A public school that includes any of the grades seven through 12 and that issues student identification cards, and an] An institution of higher education that issues student identification cards[,] may, in addition to the telephone number for [the NJ Hopeline and contact information for a crisis text line] mental health and suicide crisis resources, provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, an on-campus crisis center, or any other mental health support service.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.261, s.3)
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year or academic year, as applicable, next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill revises the law requiring certain student identification cards to contain the telephone number for a suicide prevention hotline.
Under the bill, a public school and an institution of higher education that issue student identification cards are required to print the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources, as determined by the Commissioner of Education or Secretary of Higher Education, as applicable, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, on the back of each student identification card.
Under current law, a public school and an institution of higher education that issue student identification cards are 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.