NJ Spotlight published the following article on 6/24/2014. To read the full article, click here.

Bill Would Exempt Some School Districts From Residency Requirement

John Mooney | June 24, 2014

New Jersey’s two-year-old requirement that public employees actually live in the state has been controversial from the start. Now a bill exempting school teachers from the residency rule is proving equally contentious.

After postponing a vote on the bill yesterday, the state Senate is expected on Thursday to take up a measure that would make exceptions in the residency requirement for 10 counties bordering New York and Pennsylvania.

Supporters contend that the current regulation poses a hardship on school districts.

But state Sen. Donald Norcross (D-Camden), the author of the initial requirement enacted in 2011, said yesterday that he wasn’t convinced there needed to be an exemption and he would not support a change.

“I’m not going to vote for it,” Norcross said yesterday, without hesitation.

Norcross’s initial law has been controversial for some of the state’s public and charter schools, particular those in cities that adjoin other states, such as Newark, Jersey City, and Camden.

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