Increases the fine on certain individuals who commit the crime of criminal contempt in the first degree

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Keith Brown and 6 co-sponsors

Authorize a revised military science endorsement for high school teachers, allowing instruction with 10 years of military service and ongoing branch authorization.

REFERRED TO CODES

Overview

Bill number: A 5628

Title: An Act concerning endorsements to teaching certificates

Purpose: Create and authorize a revised military science endorsement on the standard teaching certificate, allowing qualified individuals to teach military science to high school students (grades 9–12).

Status: Referred to the Assembly Codes Committee (CODES)

Introduced: May 8, 2025

Classification: Bill (Education/Certification)

What the bill would do

Authorize a revised military science endorsement on the standard teaching certificate.

Enable the holder to teach military science to students in grades 9–12.

Align New Jersey eligibility with recent federal and military programs (notably JROTC) by reducing the required years of military service from 20 to 10.

Require ongoing authorization to be retained (i.e., continued eligibility to teach military science depends on maintaining the required military authorization).

Key provisions

1) Definitions and endorsement
- Defines “military science” as instruction authorized under the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program established by 10 U.S.C. § 2031.
- State Board of Education must authorize a revised military science endorsement to the standard teaching certificate.

2) Eligibility to obtain the endorsement
- A candidate must document 10 years of military service.
- The candidate must hold a valid certification authorizing employment as a military science instructor from the branch of service in which they served.

3) Retention requirements
- To retain the endorsement, the holder must maintain the required authorization (the branch-specific military employment authorization).

4) Regulation and effective date
- The State Board of Education must adopt rules and regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the act.
- The act is described as taking effect immediately.

Context and potential impact

Rationale: Current NJ regulations permit a military science endorsement with 20 years of military service and ongoing authorization to teach. The bill reduces eligibility to 10 years to reflect federal and service-specific JROTC standards (Army/Navy/Marines/Air Force) that have shifted toward 8–10 years of service for instructors, aligning NJ requirements with these practices.

Impact on educators: Potentially expands the pool of eligible candidates for teaching military science in high schools by lowering the service-years requirement from 20 to 10.

Impact on programs: Could facilitate expansion or sustainability of JROTC-like offerings in New Jersey high schools by easing instructor eligibility.

Legislative actions and sponsorship

Legislative actions:

2025-02-18: Referred to Codes (CODES)
2025-05-08: Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee

Sponsors:

Primary: Jo Anne Simon
Cosponsors: MaryJane Shimsky, Andrew Hevesi, Deborah Glick, Joe DeStefano, Jodi Giglio, Keith Brown

Related legislation

Related bill: A 10216 (from a prior session)

Notes:
- The provided content for A 5628 centers on establishing a revised military science endorsement consistent with JROTC and federal alignments, not on penalties or fines for criminal contempt. If you need comparisons to other bills or a cross-reference to criminal contempt provisions, I can prepare that as well.

Bill