TRENTON, N.J. – Legislation mandating all 59 New Jersey colleges and universities implement disaster plans passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee May 10 by unanimous vote.
The bill was introduced to the state legislature in January but expedited after the Virginia Tech shootings in mid April. According to the Express Times, the bill calls for a comprehensive disaster plan that would be reviewed annually.
Members of the committee have not come to a consensus on which standards should be made uniform. College officials have testified that their schools already have plans in place that are regularly reviewed. However, the bill would ensure such plans are standard rather than elective.
The bill will also face the scrutiny of the newly formed Campus Security Task Force, a collection of college officials, security personnel and students charged by acting Gov. Richard Codey to review existing campus security plans.
Having passed committee, the bill is up for Assembly speaker to decide whether to post it for full vote in the Assembly.
