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Bill

A 5085

Establishes pilot program in certain counties to provide funding for nonpublic school nursing services through county consortium of nonpublic schools.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Robert Karabinchak and 1 co-sponsor

A three-year pilot shifts nonpublic school nursing services to a county consortium in a large NJ county, with annual audits and a mid-term statewide expansion review.

Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
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Bill Summary · A 5085

Summary of Bill A 5085 (Session 222) – New Jersey

### Purpose and intent
- Establishes a three-year pilot program to provide nonpublic school nursing services in a designated county by creating a county consortium of nonpublic schools.
- Aims to shift responsibility for required nursing services from local boards of education to the county consortium for participating nonpublic schools.

### Key provisions

  • Eligible county and structure

    • Defines “eligible county” as a first-class county with population over 950,000 (per latest federal decennial census). This targets a specific large county for the pilot.
    • Allows creation or use of a county consortium to deliver nursing services to students in nonpublic schools located in participating counties.

  • Funding and fiscal mechanics

    • During the pilot, a board of education must disburse to the county consortium an amount equal to the state aid paid to a school district for nonpublic nursing services (as established by current law) or as otherwise provided in the annual appropriations act.
    • This effectively reallocates state-provided nursing funds for nonpublic schools to the county consortium to administer nursing services.

  • Program administration and notification

    • The Commissioner of Education must publish a notice on the Department of Education website describing the pilot and the consortium’s duties to provide required nursing services under law to students in participating nonpublic schools.

  • Participation and assurances

    • A nonpublic school wishing to participate must notify the commissioner, the county consortium’s governing body, and any districts where the school is located by June 1 of the preceding school year.

  • Audits and accountability

    • The consortium must annually contract with an independent entity to audit the pilot’s implementation.
    • Audits for the prior year are due to the commissioner by October 1 each year, with copies also sent to the Governor and the Legislature.

  • Evaluation and expansion

    • Two years after the pilot’s establishment, the commissioner must provide a recommendation to the Governor and Legislature on whether to continue the program and potentially expand it statewide.

  • Rules and implementation

    • The State Board of Education will promulgate rules as needed under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the act.

### Affected parties

  • Nonpublic schools in the eligible county that elect to participate in the consortium to receive nursing services.
  • County consortium (new or existing nonprofit entity) responsible for delivering nursing services.
  • Boards of education of districts that would otherwise provide nursing services (whose funding would be redirected to the consortium).
  • Students in participating nonpublic schools who require nursing services.
  • State entities: Commissioner of Education, Governor, Legislature, and State Board of Education (for oversight and rulemaking).

### Procedural and timeline notes

  • Participation notification deadline: June 1 of the preceding school year.
  • Annual audit due: October 1 each year.
  • Post-pilot evaluation: two years after establishment, with a recommendation on continuation or statewide expansion.
  • Effective date: immediate.

This bill creates a focused, time-limited pilot in a specified large county to test delivering nonpublic school nursing services via a county consortium, with annual reporting and a mid-course evaluation for potential statewide expansion.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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