The bill establishes the New Jersey Community Learning Program within the Department of Education to provide comprehensive after-school programs in communities significantly affected by the criminalization of cannabis, referred to as impact zones. Each school district located within these zones, termed impact districts, is required to collaborate with local governing bodies to create and implement after-school programs aimed at closing the achievement gap and offering services to students during non-school hours, including summer recess. The bill mandates that these programs be accessible at various locations, including existing school facilities, and requires districts to provide transportation for participating students.

To fund these initiatives, the bill creates the New Jersey Community Learning Assistance Fund, which will receive annual deposits from state revenue generated through the retail sale of cannabis products starting in State Fiscal Year 2027. The Department of Education is tasked with distributing necessary funds to impact districts to cover the full costs of the programs, ensuring that all funds are exclusively used for this purpose. Additionally, the bill outlines a process for public input and requires impact districts to submit detailed program plans for approval by the Commissioner of Education before implementation. The bill will take effect immediately or upon the legalization of cannabis for personal use, whichever occurs later.