NJ Board Finds Bullying Law an Unfunded Mandate

New Jersey's Council on Local Mandates says the state's tough new anti-school bullying law is an unfunded mandate and needs to be fixed.

The council made its ruling Friday in a 7-2 decision.

The ruling is to take effect in March when the council issues a formal order.

It came in response to a complaint from the Board of Education in Allamuchy Township that training educators on the law would cost the district $6,000.

The council said Friday in oral remarks reported by The Star-Ledger that it will be up to lawmakers to make changes.

The chairman of Garden State Equality, a gay rights group that pushed for the anti-bullying law, says fixing it might not require the state to provide funding to school districts to implement the law.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)