LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
ASSEMBLY, No. 398
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: MARCH 2, 2023
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Establishes position of Youth Disconnection Prevention and Recovery
Ombudsperson; establishes “School Disconnection Prevention Task
Force.”
Type of Impact: Annual State expenditure increase.
Agencies Affected: Department of Education.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual
State Cost Increase Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill will lead to an indeterminate
increase in State costs. The increase in State costs will primarily stem from expenditures
related to the salary and benefits of the newly-created position of a Youth Disconnection
Prevention and Recovery Ombudsperson.
 The bill may cause an additional, minimal State expenditure increase to reimburse members of
the School Disconnection Prevention Task Force for expenses incurred in the performance of
their duties.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill establishes the position of a Youth Disconnection Prevention and Recovery
Ombudsperson in the Department of Education. The ombudsperson would be appointed by the
Governor but would report directly to the Commissioner of Education. The ombudsperson would
serve for a term of four years and would be responsible for implementing a Statewide strategic
plan of action to prevent students aged 16 to 24 from disconnecting from school, addressing the
need for the reengagement of disconnected youth, and developing strategies to increase
reengagement.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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The bill also establishes the “School Disconnection Prevention Task Force,” the purpose of
which would be to analyze the causes of school disconnection for high school students and students
at public institutions of higher education, recommend best practices for reducing school
disconnection to school districts and public institutions of higher education, and support the
development of strategies to reengage disconnected youth. The task force is required under the bill
to issue a final report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than nine months after the task
force organizes.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that this bill will lead to an indeterminate increase in State costs. The
increase in State costs will primarily stem from expenditures related to the salary and benefits of
the newly-created position of a Youth Disconnection Prevention and Recovery Ombudsperson.
While the OLS does not have information on which to estimate a salary for this position, the office
notes for informational purposes that the average annual salary for a full-time employee in the
Department of Education, according to the Civil Service Commission’s “State Government 2022
Workforce Profile,” is $93,559. Given that the ombudsperson position established in the bill is to
report directly to the Commissioner of Education, it is likely that the salary for the position will
exceed that of the average annual salary for a full-time employee in the department.
The bill may cause an additional, minimal State expenditure increase to reimburse members of
the School Disconnection Prevention Task Force for expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties. There may be additional expenditures associated with the department providing staffing
services to the task force.
Section: Revenue, Finance, and Appropriations
Analyst: Christopher Myles
Senior Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).