STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblywoman ELIANA PINTOR MARIN
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblyman REGINALD W. ATKINS
District 20 (Union)
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Donlon, Peterpaul, Reynolds-Jackson, Katz, Murphy, Hall, Assemblyman Miller, Assemblywomen Bagolie, Lampitt, Ramirez, Senators Burgess, Mukherji, Turner and Timberlake
SYNOPSIS
Establishes State Work First New Jersey Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Program and State Work First New Jersey Diaper Benefit Program; appropriates $2.5 million to DHS.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee with technical review.
An Act concerning a monthly State benefit for menstrual hygiene products and diaper products under the Work First New Jersey Program, supplementing P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55), and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services the State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Program. Under the program, the division shall distribute to each menstruator participating in WFNJ who is 18 to 50 years of age, a monthly State benefit of $14. The division shall distribute the monthly State benefit via the participant’s existing WFNJ electronic benefits card, on the same issuance date as the participant’s standard WFNJ benefits. A participant shall be required to use any monthly State benefit issued pursuant to this section for menstrual hygiene products. Any unspent funds from a participant’s monthly State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit shall be carried over to the next month, for use by the participant for the same purpose.
b. As used in this section,
“Menstrual hygiene products” means tampons, menstrual cups, or sanitary napkins used to collect or absorb menstrual fluids.
“WFNJ” means the Work First New Jersey Program, established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.) in accordance with authorization received under Title IV of the federal "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996," Pub.L.104-193 (8 U.S.C. s.1601 et seq.), and includes both the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the General Assistance program.
2. a. There is established in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Program. Under the program, the division shall 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 shall distribute the monthly State benefit via the participant’s existing WFNJ electronic benefits card, on the same issuance date as the participant’s standard WFNJ benefits. A participant shall be required to use any monthly State benefit issued pursuant to this section for diaper products. Any unspent funds from a participant’s monthly State WFNJ Diaper Benefit shall be carried over to the next month, for use by the participant for the same purpose.
b. As used in this section, “WFNJ” means the Work First New Jersey program, established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.) in accordance with authorization received under Title IV of the federal "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996," Pub.L.104-193 (8 U.S.C. s.1601 et seq.).
3. The Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services $2,500,000 to effectuate the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.