Politics & Government

Christie Signs Tough New Anti-Bullying Bill

Bill Sponsored by Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini

One of the nation’s toughest anti-bullying bills, sponsored by 11th district Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Chris Christie.

The law establishes an “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,’’ and is intended to buttress and plug loopholes in the state’s earlier anti-bullying law, which was passed in 2002.

The law applies to in-school bullying, as well as near-school, outside school, on school busses or online bullying.

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Most public school teachers, administrators and other district employees will be required to undergo anti-bullying training, under the new law. It also mandates that each district set up a panel to review bullying complaints.

Administrators are required to investigate incidents of bullying and students face suspension or worse if found guilty of bullying. And districts will be graded on their efforts to eliminate bullying, according to the law.

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“I applaud the Governor for signing this important legislation into law and taking action against bullying in New Jersey,” Angelini said in a release. “The ‘Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights’ demonstrates that New Jersey will no longer tolerate any form of bullying and will make every effort to keep our children safe from harassment, intimidation, and bullying.”

The law had been in the works for more than a year. Both houses of the Legislature easily passed it in November.

Angelini  co-sponsored the bill in the state Assembly with Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Bergen.

The new law was quickly lauded by Garden State Equality, a gay rights group.

“The era of vagueness and loopholes in anti-bullying laws is over,” Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, said in a release. “Hope for our children has begun.”


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