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Committee advances four bills on shelter checks, school meals, social-media awareness and minor bloggers
Summary
The Children, Families, and Food Security Committee advanced four bipartisan bills: AB1148 (background checks for certain crisis shelters), AB1406 (requirement tying school meal rules to 2012 USDA nutrition standards), AB2367 (a $500,000 social-media awareness campaign for minors), and AB4302 (limited protections for minors working as bloggers). All were moved out of committee with no recorded opposition.
At a meeting of the Children, Families, and Food Security Committee, members advanced four bills addressing child welfare, school nutrition, youth social-media safety and minor labor protections.
Assembly Bill A1148, read into the record by the committee clerk, "provides for background checks and other requirements for certain agencies providing temporary home for child or pregnant women during crisis." No witness slips were filed on A1148; the committee moved the bill and the clerk announced it was released from committee.
The committee also considered Assembly Bill 1406, which the clerk described as requiring public schools and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs to comply with the most stringent nutrition standards adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2012 and any more stringent federal standards adopted in the future. Several organizations filed slips in support, including the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. The committee adopted the committee amendments and advanced the bill.
On Assembly Bill A2367, the clerk read: "Assembly bill A2367 establishes public awareness campaign on dangers of social media use to minors appropriate $500,000." Representatives from the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association were listed on testimony slips and indicated support but did not provide oral testimony. The committee moved A2367 forward.
Assembly Bill A4302, described by the clerk as amending current law to protect minors working as bloggers in certain circumstances, drew brief comments from committee members about enforcement. One unidentified committee member said the discussion had "opened up my eyes to the latest," and urged attention to federal-state alignment on enforcement. The committee moved A4302 and recorded affirmative votes.
Votes at a glance - AB1148 (background checks for temporary crisis shelters): moved out of committee; no opposing votes recorded. - AB1406 (school meal nutrition standards tied to 2012 USDA rules; amended): moved out of committee as amended; no opposing votes recorded. - AB2367 (public awareness campaign on social media dangers; $500,000 appropriation): moved out of committee; no opposing votes recorded. - AB4302 (protections for minors working as bloggers): moved out of committee; no opposing votes recorded.
Committee action was procedural and largely unanimous based on the roll calls read into the record; multiple items included written testimony in support but limited oral debate. The Chair adjourned the meeting after the final vote.
