Bill Text: NJ A3579 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DOH to ensure that WIC participants have access to supplemental foods and to apply for federal WIC waivers.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee [A3579 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A3579-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOH to ensure that WIC participants have access to supplemental foods and apply for federal WIC waivers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children 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 WIC Services Unit in the Department of Health shall identify and effectuate any policies and actions necessary, as appropriate, to ensure that WIC participants have access to alternative supplemental foods when WIC-eligible foods on the State's Approved Product List are not readily accessible at WIC authorized vendors due to supply chain disruptions, manufacturing shortages, product recalls, or other such limitations to WIC-eligible food availability.
b. The Commissioner of Health shall apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for such federal waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
c. As used in this section, "WIC" means the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, established pursuant to section 17 of the "Child Nutrition Act of 1966," Pub.L.89-642 (42 U.S.C. s.1786).
2. The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedures Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Services Unit in the Department of Health to identify and effectuate any policies and actions necessary, as appropriate, to ensure that WIC participants have access to alternative supplemental foods when WIC-eligible foods on the State's Approved Product List are not readily accessible at WIC authorized vendors due to supply chain disruptions, manufacturing shortages, product recalls, or other such limitations to WIC-eligible food availability. The bill directs the Commissioner of Health to apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for such federal waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.
WIC is a federal program that provides grants to states for supplemental foods, as well as health care referrals and nutrition education, for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. The program provides these individuals with nutritious foods to supplement their diets during critical stages of growth and development and to correct, prevent, or minimize health and nutritional problems. WIC-eligible foods include: milk, cheese, eggs, whole grain bread, brown rice, pasta or whole wheat tortillas, dry or canned beans, peas or lentils, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, breakfast cereals, 100 percent juice, canned fish, baby food, iron-fortified formula, and special formulas for certain medical conditions.
This bill is in response to the negative impact of the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as certain product recalls, on the nationwide supply chain leading to both periodic location- and product-based shortages of WIC-eligible foods. The flexibilities provided under this bill will ensure that, during temporary periods in which WIC-eligible foods are limited, WIC participants will maintain continuous access to healthy and nutritious food options.
