TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a bill aimed at preventing educators accused of child abuse or sexual misconduct from being hired by other school districts.
Murphy signed the bipartisan legislation on Wednesday. The measure passed the Democrat-led Assembly unanimously.
Lawmakers say the bill stemmed from an NJ.com investigation that concluded that teachers accused of sexual misconduct were being moved from one school district to another.
The new law requires public, private schools and contracted service providers to review the employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to determine whether there were allegations of abuse or sexual misconduct.
Murphy called the legislation “common sense” and said it fills a “serious gap” in the hiring process.
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