This bill establishes a three-year County-Based School Security Pilot Program within the New Jersey Department of Education, specifically targeting Essex, Mercer, and Camden counties. The program aims to provide county-based mental health services for public school students and enhance security infrastructure in these schools. The Commissioner of Education is tasked with collaborating with other state officials to implement the program, which will include mental health services such as individual and group clinical support, referrals to community providers, evidence-based interventions, mental health screenings, and crisis intervention. Additionally, the program will offer security supports, including training for active shooter scenarios and the provision of protective equipment like bullet-resistant mobile ballistic shields.

To ensure accountability and assess the program's effectiveness, the Commissioner is required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature within one year of the program's implementation, with subsequent annual reports for a total of three years. The bill also appropriates $15 million from the General Fund to support the program's implementation. The act is set to take effect in the first full school year following its enactment, although the Commissioner may take necessary administrative actions in advance.