This coming Thursday, June 20th the New Jersey Senate will vote on Senate Bill # S-1929 (the companion bill in the Assembly is “A-2869) sponsored by the Orthodox Union that will assist families deal with the cost of special education.

The legislation will change the wording in the current New Jersey law that according to most does NOT permit a school district to assign a special education student to a sectarian non public school.

Sponsors of the Bill in the Senate and the Assembly include a wide array of our elected officials including Senators Loretta Weinberg, Robert W. Singer, Richard Codey, Raymond Lesniak, Joseph M. Kyrillos and in the Assembly Gary Schaer, Sean T. Kean, and Valerie Huttle.

Michael I. Inzelbuch, Esq, an attorney who represents families throughout the State (and formerly represented the Lakewood Board of Education) stated that this legislation is long overdue, however, he has never considered the current state of affairs an issue.

Specifically, Inzelbuch has successfully argued in numerous courts throughout the State and takes the position that if a less restrictive setting can not be identified, the needs of the child can not be met in an approved school as established via educational experts, and proper reporting occurs, there should be no issue. But, he says, nevertheless welcomes such legislation since many of the districts and the law firms who represent them including both the current law firm for the district and their immediate predecessors, have taken the position that same can not be effectuated without causing the parents to endure needless headaches and creating unnecessary loopholes. [TLS]