Your Legislators: Christie Signs Off on Background Check Bill

Gov. Chris Christie put his pen to paper on Tuesday when he signed bill  into law requiring school board and charter school trustees to undergo a background check.

The bill was sponsored by Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jerry Green and Assemblymen Jack Conners and Herb Conaway, M.D. and co-sponsored in the Assembly by District 39 legislators Robert Schroeder and Charlotte Vandervalk.

The was approved 76-0 by the Assembly on May 9 and 39-0 by the Senate on May 27, and states that any person elected or appointed to a board of education would be disqualified from serving if they have been convicted of any crime that, under existing law, would disqualify them from being employed in a public school.

The conditional veto added language barring people convicted of bias intimidation and any fourth degree crime involving a child.

Each member of a board of education must undergo a criminal history background check within 30 days of being elected or appointed. The cost of the background check falls upon the school board member.

Furthermore, it would amend the oath of office taken by new board members to include a specific declaration that the member is not disqualified from service due to conviction of one of those crimes.

Any member who falsely swears that he or she is not disqualified would face penalties of up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines.