Bill

A 1696

Preserves ecological integrity, wildlife and open space in the Adirondack park

2025 Regular Session Introduced by William Colton and 2 co-sponsors

Establishes a Traumatic Brain Injury Education Coordinator and regional consultants to identify, support, and transition students with TBI, with statewide training and data collect

REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

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Bill Summary · A 1696

Summary of Bill A 1696 (New Jersey) – Traumatic Brain Injury Education Coordinator

Note: The text provided for this bill is an introduced New Jersey measure focused on education for students with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). It establishes a new leadership and regional support framework within the Department of Education. The title referencing ecological preservation in the Adirondack Park appears unrelated to the bill content provided.

Purpose and intent

Create a dedicated leadership role—Traumatic Brain Injury Education Coordinator—within the New Jersey Department of Education.
Build a statewide, coordinated framework to identify, assess, and support students with traumatic brain injuries across local, county, regional, and State levels.
Improve hospital-to-school transition, re-entry to the classroom after TBI, and the handling of concussions in schools.
Establish data collection on the incidence of pediatric TBIs to inform policy and practice.

Key provisions

A. Traumatic Brain Injury Education Coordinator

The Commissioner of Education shall appoint a qualified Traumatic Brain Injury Education Coordinator.
Duties include:
1. Establish a comprehensive statewide network of Regional Traumatic Brain Injury Consultants.
2. Develop a methodology for systematic identification, assessment, and intervention for students with TBI.
3. Create and implement an annual training plan to strengthen district capacity to support students with TBI.
4. Develop a hospital-to-school transition protocol for returning students with TBI to the classroom.
5. Develop a model policy for returning to the classroom after concussions.
6. Create a mechanism to collect data on the incidence of pediatric TBIs.

B. Regional Traumatic Brain Injury Consultants

The Commissioner shall appoint a Regional TB Injury Consultant for each State region: northwest, northeast, central, and southern.
Regional consultants report to the Coordinator.
Duties include:
1. Provide coordination, training, and technical assistance to school districts (including help to child study teams with evaluation, placement, and IEP/504 plan development for students with TBI).
2. Aid districts in forming a brain injury resource team with a designated staff contact for students with TBI and their families.
3. Conduct regional outreach to identify and address TBI-related issues.
4. Assist in developing the annual training plan, hospital-to-school transition protocol, and model concussion policy.
5. Develop an integrated system of school, health care, and community supports to advance students toward postsecondary goals.

Implementation timeline

Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.
Ongoing responsibilities include annual training planning, regional coordination, and the development of protocols and policies.

Who is affected

Students with traumatic brain injuries in New Jersey.
School districts, school health teams, child study teams, IEP/504 teams.
Families of students with TBI.
Local and regional education administrators who interact with the new coordinator and consultants.

Legislative context and status

Introduced: January 9, 2024.
Status: Referred to the Environmental Conservation committee (listed as the current procedural committee assignment in the provided record).
Related actions and sponsors indicate ongoing interest in the measure, including primary sponsor Deborah Glick and cosponsors William Colton and Anna Kelles (though sponsor details may reflect cross-listings or parallel bills in prior sessions, given the bill number and committee assignment align with New Jersey structure in the provided content).

Potential impact

Improved identification and support for students with TBI, potentially leading to better educational outcomes and smoother transitions back to school after injury.
Standardized regional guidance and training for districts, reducing variability in responses to TBI across districts.
Data collection on TBI incidence could inform future policy decisions and resource allocation.
The bill does not specify funding, so fiscal implications would depend on appropriation and administrative implementation.

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