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 SHAMA A. HAIDER
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Atkins
SYNOPSIS
Requires DHS to establish public awareness campaign about period poverty.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a period poverty public awareness campaign and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall establish a public awareness campaign to publicize and inform the general public about period poverty and its economic and public health implications. The campaign shall include information on, at a minimum:
(1) the definition of period poverty;
(2) the causes of period poverty;
(3) the number of persons in the State of New Jersey and in the United States who are affected by period poverty; and
(4) what can be done to address the issue of period poverty Statewide.
b. The commissioner shall, at a minimum:
(1) provide for the development of printed educational materials and public service announcements in languages including, but not limited to, English and Spanish; and
(2) disseminate information for distribution to the public on the Departments of Human Services and Health official websites and through a variety of entities, including, but not limited to, local health agencies and clinics, physicians, health care facilities, county human services offices, pharmacies, libraries, and other community-based outreach programs and organizations.
c. The commissioner shall report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 24 months after the effective date of this act, and annually thereafter, on the activities and accomplishments of the public awareness campaign.
2. This act shall take effect immediately, except that the commissioner may take any administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, to establish a public awareness campaign to publicize and inform the general public about period poverty and its economic and public health implications. The campaign is to include information on: (1) the definition of period poverty; (2) the causes of period poverty; (3) the number of persons in the State of New Jersey and in the United States who are affected by period poverty; and (4) what can be done to address the issue of period poverty Statewide.
Under the provisions of the bill, the commissioner is to develop educational materials and public service announcements in languages including, but not limited to, English and Spanish and to disseminate information for distribution to the public on the Departments of Human Services and Health official websites and through a variety of entities and community-based programs and organizations.
The bill also directs the commissioner to annually report to the Governor, and to the Legislature, no later than two years after the effective date of the bill, and annually thereafter, on the activities and accomplishments of the public awareness campaign.
Period poverty refers to the social, economic, political, and cultural barriers to menstrual products, education, and sanitation. Although period poverty is a widespread problem, there is a lack of research on the topic. It is the sponsor’s intent to promote awareness of, and public actions to address, period poverty.