This bill establishes a mediation process for handling school ethics complaints in New Jersey. It amends Section 9 of P.L.1991, c.393 to require the School Ethics Commission to offer mediation to both the complainant and the school official named in the complaint. If both parties agree to mediation, a mediator will be assigned, and they must sign a confidentiality pledge to keep discussions private. Should the mediation lead to the complainant dismissing the complaint, a written agreement will be signed to formalize this dismissal. If no resolution is reached, the commission will proceed with the existing legal process to determine if a violation of the School Ethics Act or the Code of Ethics for School Board Members has occurred.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the commission to impose sanctions on school officials found to have violated the ethics laws, including reprimand, censure, suspension, or removal. It also clarifies that if a complaint is deemed frivolous, the commission may impose a fine on the complainant. The State Board of Education is tasked with promulgating regulations to implement the provisions of this act. The bill is set to take effect six months after enactment, allowing for necessary preparatory actions by the State Board of Education and the School Ethics Commission.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:12-29, 18A:12-34