ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2027

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 26, 2024

      The Assembly Budget Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2027.

      This bill establishes the State Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Program and the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Program in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, and makes a $2.5 million appropriation to support the programs.  WFNJ is the State’s cash assistance program for low-income residents. 

      Under the State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Program, the division is to distribute to each person who menstruates participating in WFNJ, ages 18 to 50 years, a monthly State benefit of $14.  Under the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Program, the division is to distribute to each person participating in WFNJ a monthly State benefit of $30 for each dependent of the person who is under 36 months of age. 

      The division is required to distribute the monthly State benefit under both programs via the participant’s WFNJ electronic benefits card, on the same issuance date as the participant’s standard WFNJ benefits.  A participant is required to use any monthly State benefit issued pursuant to this bill for the purposes of the program.  Any unspent funds from a participant’s monthly menstrual hygiene benefit or diaper benefit is to be carried over to the next month, for use by the participant for the same purpose.  The bill defines “menstrual hygiene products” to mean tampons, menstrual cups, or sanitary napkins used to collect or absorb menstrual fluids.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      Fiscal information for this bill is currently unavailable.