---
type: "Bill"
title: "Limits expulsions and suspensions for students in preschool through grade 2 with certain exceptions; requires early detection and prevention programs for behavioral issues in preschool through grade 2."
description: "Limits expulsions and suspensions for students in preschool through grade 2 with certain exceptions; requires early detection and prevention programs for behavioral issues in preschool through grade 2."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "S 2081"
citation: "New Jersey S 2081 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["EDUCATION"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Ruiz, M. Teresa", "Turner, Shirley K.", "Vainieri Huttle, Valerie", "Wimberly, Benjie E."]
version_count: 1
action_count: 7
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2016-04-25T04:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2016-09-06T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/2f5a40c4-5fef-4c39-a5f6-53595193a768"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "256e49ab20c1a8d0cecf0a7f8421e03351e75f5f7aea40b7686db3678cff3267"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey S 2081 (217) — Limits expulsions and suspensions for students in preschool through grade 2 with certain exceptions; requires early detection and prevention programs for behavioral issues in preschool through grade 2.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S2500/2081_I1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported favorably out of committee — **5–0** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **56–17** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **36–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Ruiz, M. Teresa — primary (person)
- Turner, Shirley K. — primary (person)
- Vainieri Huttle, Valerie — primary (person)
- Wimberly, Benjie E. — primary (person)
- Allen, Diane B. — cosponsor (person)
- Coughlin, Craig J. — cosponsor (person)
- Jasey, Mila M. — cosponsor (person)
- McKeon, John F. — cosponsor (person)
- McKnight, Angela V. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-04-25T04:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2016-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (36-0) `passage`
- **2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A3790
- **2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (56-17-5) `passage`
- **2016-09-06T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2016, c.45. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/2f5a40c4-5fef-4c39-a5f6-53595193a768`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).