New Jersey's McGreevey Signs Landmark Bill

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (September 6, 2002) - Today, New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey will sign the state's anti-harassment bill (A1874), passed unanimously by the State Assembly and Senate in June, heralding a new era of legal protection for students. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, congratulates New Jersey lawmakers for their swift support of the legislation, which puts the state in the company of the District of Columbia and only seven other progressive states with similar policies.

"This is a historic day for New Jersey's 1.3 million students and all those who will come after them," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "This legislation strengthens New Jersey's existing anti-discrimination law by specifically protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students against bullying and harassment that is all too common, and it heroically extends those protections to transgender students."

GLSEN's 2001 National School Climate Survey found that four out of five LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month due to fear.

McGreevey's signature coincides with the release last week of the first examination and comparison of state policies that protect students - or fail to do so - from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. "State of the States 2002: GLSEN's Policy Analysis of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Safer Schools Issues" is issued by GLSEN's Office of Public Policy in Washington, DC, and available at www.glsen.org.

In addition to the District of Columbia, only eight states now legally protect students on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity: California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Those laws cover only 11.9 million students, 25 percent of the country's school children. Rhode Island, while not having a legal mandate from the legislature, does have a statewide regulation from its Department of Education that protects LGBT students from harassment.

"New Jersey has joined the ranks of states that have pledged to fight discrimination leveled at LGBT students with more than mere lip service based on vague anti-harassment policies," said Jennings. "State of the States 2002 gives Americans the resources needed to make change in the 42 states that are lagging behind, and learn more about leaders like New Jersey and Washington State, which passed similar legislation earlier this year."

New Jersey's bill, A1874, builds upon the state's Law Against Discrimination, which prohibits discrimination in public institutions, including schools, on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation. This new legislation strengthens the existing legal obligations by including specific requirements for schools to adopt, implement and publicize policies and procedures for addressing instances of bullying and harassment. In addition, this makes New Jersey only the third state to specifically include protections for transgender students.

GLSEN is the largest national network of parents, students, educators and others working to create safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and staff. Visit www.glsen.org.