STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Murphy, Haider, Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywoman Pintor Marin, Assemblyman Sampson, Assemblywomen Park, Lopez, Assemblyman Rodriguez, Assemblywomen Morales, Peterpaul and Bagolie
SYNOPSIS
Requires ingredients of menstrual products to be listed on package.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning menstrual products and supplementing Title 24 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
“Confidential business information” means a substance or a combination of substances present in a menstrual product that serve a technical or functional purpose in the finished menstrual product, and for which a claim has been approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for inclusion on the confidential portion of the “Toxic Substances Control Act,” Pub.L.94-469 (15 U.S.C. s.2601 et seq.) Chemical Substance Inventory or for which the manufacturer of the menstrual product or the supplier of the substance claim protection under the federal “Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016,” Pub.L.114-153 (18 USC s.1836 et seq.) or the "New Jersey Trade Secrets Act," P.L.2011, c.161 (C.56:15-1 et seq).
“Ingredient” means an intentionally added substance or a combination of substances present in a menstrual product that serve a technical or functional purpose in the finished menstrual product, provided that the substance or the combination of substances is not considered confidential business information.
“Menstrual product” means a product manufactured for the purpose of catching menstruation and vaginal discharge, including but not limited to a tampon, sanitary pad, disc, menstrual cup, and menstrual underwear. The term shall include both disposable and reusable products.
“Package or box containing menstrual products” means menstrual products packaged for individual retail sale, and does not include packaging used exclusively for shipping purposes.
b. No later than 18 months after the effective date of this section, a manufacturer of menstrual products for sale or distribution in the State shall:
(1) include a label on every package or box containing menstrual products that is sold or offered for sale in this State listing all of the ingredients contained in the menstrual product, with the ingredients listed in descending order of predominance within the menstrual product. The information shall be displayed in a manner that is conspicuous and easily understandable to consumers; and
(2) post on its internet website, in an electronically readable format, the label information required to be included on every package or box containing menstrual products pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. A manufacturer may use technologies, including, but not limited to, digital link, to communicate the information required by this subsection.
c. The provisions in subsection b. of this section shall not be construed to require a manufacturer of menstrual products for sale or distribution in the State to disclose confidential business information on a package or box containing menstrual products, or on its internet website. A manufacturer may include confidential business information by its common name with the label information required under subsection b. of this section in order to protect a substance’s confidential identity.
d. A manufacturer of menstrual products when required to change the label on a menstrual product due to a change in ingredient, or addition or removal of an ingredient, shall make the change to the label within 18 months of the change in such ingredient.
e. (1) A manufacturer of menstrual products that manufactures for distribution or sale in the State a package or box containing menstrual products that does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection b. of this section shall be liable to a civil penalty equal to one percent of the manufacturer’s total annual in-State sales of menstrual products for each package or box containing menstrual products that does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection b. of this section.
(2) A civil penalty assessed pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be collected by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety in summary proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).
(3) A civil penalty assessed pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not exceed $1,000 per package or box containing menstrual products that does not meet the requirements of subsection b. of this section.
(4) No civil penalty may be assessed pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection for a package or box containing menstrual products that was manufactured prior to 18 months after the effective date of this act.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires every package or box of menstrual products that is sold or offered for sale in the State, no later than 18 months after the effective date of the bill, to: (1) include a label on every package or box of menstrual products that is sold or offered for sale in the State listing all of the ingredients contained in the menstrual product, with the ingredients listed in descending order of predominance within the menstrual product; and (2) post on its Internet website, in an electronically readable format, the label information required under the bill to be included on every package or box containing menstrual products. The information is to be displayed in a manner that is conspicuous and easily understandable to consumers.
The bill clarifies that these provisions are not to be construed to require a manufacturer of menstrual products to disclose confidential business information on a package or box containing menstrual products, or on its internet website. A manufacturer may include confidential business information by its common name with the label information required under the bill in order to protect a substance’s confidential identity. The bill requires a manufacturer of menstrual products to change the label listing any change in ingredients within 18 months of such a change.
The bill establishes a civil penalty for menstrual product manufacturers that distribute to, or otherwise offer for sale in New Jersey menstrual products in packaging that does not meet the labeling requirements established under the bill. The civil penalty will be equal to one percent of the manufacturer’s total annual in-State sales of menstrual products for each noncompliant package or box, not to exceed $1,000 per noncompliant package or box. The civil penalty will be collected by the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety in summary proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). The bill specifies that the civil penalty may not be assessed for a noncompliant package or box containing menstrual products that was manufactured prior to 18 months after the effective date of the bill.
Under the bill, “menstrual product” is defined as a product used for the purpose of catching menstruation and vaginal discharge, including but not limited to a tampon, sanitary pad, disc, menstrual cup, and underwear. The term includes both disposable and reusable products. “Package or box containing menstrual products” is defined to mean menstrual products packaged for individual retail sale, and does not include packaging used exclusively for shipping purposes.