Bill Text: NJ A2315 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program," appropriates $200,000.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee [A2315 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2315-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Speight, Murphy, Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywomen Pintor Marin, Reynolds-Jackson and Lopez
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program," appropriates $200,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing the "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program," supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purposes of this act:
"Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
"Menstrual hygiene products" mean tampons and sanitary napkins for use in connection with the menstrual cycle.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.
b. In order to promote and facilitate improved access to menstrual hygiene products to low-income residents of the State, the department, in consultation with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health, shall develop and implement the "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program", no later than six months after the effective date of this act.
c. The department shall identify, on its Internet website, the food pantries participating in the program, and the times during which each food pantry will be accessible for community residents to obtain menstrual hygiene products.
d. Under the program, the department shall award annual grants to food pantries for the purchase of menstrual hygiene products.
e. As a part of the Menstrual Hygiene Products Program, the department shall be authorized to:
(1) coordinate and encourage partnerships between the participating food pantries and pharmacies or other retail stores as deemed necessary to better enable and ensure the prompt or efficient delivery of menstrual hygiene products;
(2) take appropriate actions to encourage participation in the initiative;
(3) develop educational and informational materials for distribution to low-income individuals, which may incorporate information pertaining to the importance of proper menstrual hygiene products, or any other topic that is relevant to the work of the initiative; and
(4) pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), take such other actions, including but not limited to adopting rules and regulations, on its own, that the secretary deems necessary or appropriate to implement the provisions of this act, and any additional rules and regulations that are necessary to implement the provisions of this act in consultation with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.
2. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Agriculture $200,000 from the General Fund to support the Menstrual Hygiene Product Program established pursuant to section 1 of this act.
b. Each food pantry may apply for a grant of up to $10,000 each year:
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "Menstrual Hygiene Products Program" (program) in order to promote and facilitate improved access to menstrual hygiene products to low-income residents of the State.
In order to promote and facilitate improved access to menstrual hygiene products to low-income residents of the State, the amended bill requires the Department of Agriculture (department), in consultation with the Departments of Health and Human Services, to develop and implement the program. The department is required to identify, on its Internet website, the food pantries participating in the program, and the times during which each food pantry will be accessible for community residents to obtain menstrual hygiene products. Under the program, the department is required to award annual grants to food pantries for the purchase of menstrual hygiene products. Any costs incurred by a food pantry in providing an adequate supply of menstrual hygiene products will be borne by the State.
Pursuant to the bill, the department is authorized to:
(1) coordinate and encourage partnerships between food pantries, pharmacies, and other retail stores that participate in the program, in order to facilitate the prompt and efficient delivery of menstrual hygiene products;
(2) take appropriate actions to encourage participation in the initiative;
(3) develop educational and informational materials for distribution to low-income individuals, which may incorporate information pertaining to the importance of proper menstrual hygiene products, or any other topic that is relevant to the work of the initiative; and
(4) take such other actions, including but not limited to adopting rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), that the secretary deems necessary or appropriate to implement the provisions of this bill and any other necessary rules and regulations in consultation with the Departments of Health and Human Services.
This bill appropriates $200,000 to the Department of Agriculture to support the Menstrual Hygiene Product Program. Under the bill, each food pantry may apply for a grant of up to $10,000 each year.
