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Bill

A 1997

Relates to analysis of data in the prescription monitoring program registry

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Rosenthal

Creates a statewide, free tutoring registry on the DOE website listing volunteers/organizations, with checks, disclosures, and no fees for services.

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · A 1997

Summary — A1997 (2024/2025 session)

Note on bill content: Although an alternate title was provided with the request, the text and committee reports for Assembly Bill A1997 establish a statewide registry of volunteers offering free tutoring services. This summary reflects the bill text and committee amendments.

Purpose

To expand access to free, supplemental tutoring for New Jersey students by creating a central, searchable public registry of individuals and organizations willing to provide no‑cost tutoring statewide.

Key provisions

  • Requires the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) to establish and maintain a central, searchable online registry of people and organizations offering free tutoring services. The registry must be publicly available on the DOE website.
  • Required registry fields: registrant name, contact information, subject matter expertise, and tutoring availability schedule (and other information provided by registrants).
  • Eligible applicants for inclusion:
    • Teachers holding a New Jersey provisional or standard instructional certificate;
    • Retired NJ teachers who were in good standing at retirement;
    • Students enrolled in two‑ or four‑year in‑state higher education institutions;
    • Industry professionals with relevant subject expertise;
    • Organizations with relevant subject expertise;
    • Any other persons or organizations the DOE deems appropriate.
  • Registrants may not charge or receive any fee for services provided in connection with the registry.
  • Criminal history checks:
    • Individuals (other than currently certified teachers who have already undergone required checks) must undergo New Jersey criminal history record checks before being included.
    • Organizations must submit a statement of assurances that any individual providing tutoring on their behalf has undergone the required criminal history check.
    • The DOE may reimburse individuals for the cost of the criminal history check.
  • Disclosure: The registry must include a disclaimer that information has not been independently verified and does not constitute DOE endorsement or a recommendation of service quality.
  • Committee amendments (June 5, 2025):
    • Require DOE to partner with a nonprofit organization to establish and oversee the registry.
    • Remove the bill’s earlier provision that would have fined organizations up to $500 for willfully providing false information (the fine was removed).

Who is affected

  • Students and families seeking free tutoring resources across New Jersey.
  • Volunteer tutors and organizations (teachers, retirees, college students, industry professionals, nonprofits).
  • DOE (administration/oversight) and the nonprofit partner (operations/management).
  • Potential administrative and fiscal impacts for criminal history checks and managing the registry.

Procedural / timeline aspects

  • Effective immediately upon enactment.
  • Legislative status (selected actions):
    • Introduced in the Assembly 1/9/2024; reported out of Assembly Education Committee 9/19/2024; passed Assembly 10/28/2024 (77–0–0).
    • Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Education Committee 12/5/2024.
    • Reported out of the Senate Education Committee with amendments 6/5/2025 (2nd Reading).
    • Referred to Health 1/14/2025 (record shows referral to Health).
  • Companion bill: S2867.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Positive: centralizes access to free tutoring, may increase student support, leverages volunteers across the state.
  • Administrative/fiscal: DOE and its nonprofit partner will incur costs to build and maintain the registry and to process or reimburse criminal background checks.
  • Quality and safety: criminal history checks are required for most registrants and organizations must attest to checks for their representatives; however, DOE’s disclaimer makes clear it does not vouch for quality or independently verify all information.
  • Enforcement: the committee removed the $500 fine for willful misstatements by organizations in its amendment; enforcement mechanisms otherwise rely on attestations and criminal background checks.

Sponsors and cosponsors are listed in the bill text (primary sponsor: Assemblywoman Shaniqua Speight, with multiple cosponsors).

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

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