Bill Text: NJ A2027 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Establishes One-Year State Work First New Jersey Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program and State Work First New Jersey Diaper Benefit Pilot Program; appropriates $2.5 million to DHS.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-06-28 - Approved P.L.2024, c.27. [A2027 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2027-Chaptered.html
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:
C.44:10-59.1 "State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program" established.
1. a. There is established in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services the State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program. Under the pilot 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 to defray the costs of menstrual hygiene products. The director of the division shall establish a process to distribute the $14 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. The division shall educate participants that the purpose of the additional benefit is for the purchase of menstrual hygiene products. Any unspent funds from a participant's monthly State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit shall be subject to WFNJ program benefit expungement and aging rules.
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.
C.44:10-59.2 "State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Pilot Program" established.
2. a. There is established in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Pilot Program. Under the pilot 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 to defray the costs of diaper products. The director of the division shall establish a process to distribute the $30 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. The division shall educate participants that the purpose of the additional benefit is for the purchase of diaper products. Any unspent funds from a participant's monthly State WFNJ Diaper Benefit shall be subject to WFNJ program benefit expungement and aging rules.
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.).
C.44:10-59.3 Report to Governor, Legislature.
3. No later than one month following the completion of the State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program and the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Pilot Program established pursuant to this act, the Commissioner of Human Services shall prepare and submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature a report evaluating the effectiveness of the State WFNJ Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program and the State WFNJ Diaper Benefit Pilot Program, which report shall include, but not be limited to, the number of participants who benefited from each pilot program and any recommendations for policy or legislative action to continue or improve the pilot programs.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth 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, and this act shall expire one year after the effective date except that section 3 shall expire after the submission of the report to the Governor and Legislature required pursuant to section 3 of this act.
Approved June 28, 2024.
