Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
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 introduced.
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.
STATEMENT
This bill stablishes 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.