Bill Text: NJ A4822 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides for free feminine hygiene products under certain circumstances; appropriates $500,000.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A4822 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A4822-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman KENYATTA STEWART
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman AL ABDELAZIZ
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Provides for free feminine hygiene products under certain circumstances; appropriates $500,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning feminine hygiene products, amending P.L.2019, c.288, supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. An institution of higher education located within the State shall be required to provide feminine hygiene products free of charge and shall ensure that at least 75 percent of restroom facilities available for use by the menstruating population be stocked with feminine hygiene products.
b. The Department of Health shall implement a competitive grant program to support programs that provide feminine hygiene products free of charge to students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the State.
c. At least 50 percent of the grants awarded under this section shall be awarded to community colleges in the State.
(1) Entities that receive grant money from the Department of Health shall ensure that 75 percent of restroom facilities available for use by the menstruating population of the institution be stocked with feminine hygiene products.
(2) One calendar year after receipt of grant funds, the institution of higher education shall submit a report to the Department of Health on the best practices of the program.
d. As used in this section:
"Feminine hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and menstrual cups and disks.
"Institution of higher education" means a two-year or four-year institution of higher learning located in this State.
2. (New section) A private employer incorporated or doing business in the State with 100 or more employees shall be required to provide feminine hygiene products to their employees free of charge. "Feminine hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and menstrual cups and disks.
3. (New section) A State
building that is accessible to the public with restrooms available for use by
the public shall be required to stock feminine hygiene products in the publicly
accessible bathrooms that are available for use by the menstruating public. "Feminine
hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and menstrual
cups and disks.
4. (New section) a. A State agency that applies for and receives funds from a federal block grant to provide services to individuals or families on a needs-based basis shall incorporate into their applications for federal funds to provide feminine hygiene products free of charge or a stipend for the purchase of such products to a menstruating-capable individual served by the State agency.
b. One calendar year after a State agency begins distribution of the feminine hygiene products or a stipend, the agency shall report on the effectiveness of the program to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14.19.1) the Legislature. The report shall include recommendations for improvement of the program, describe how efficacious the program has been in helping low-income individuals meet their need for feminine hygiene products, describe the extent to which the program has improved the economic security of the benefit recipients, and any other relevant information.
c. As used in this section, "feminine hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and menstrual cups and disks.
5. Section 4 of P.L.2019, c.288 (C.30:1B-6.8) is amended to ready as follows:
4. The Commissioner of Corrections shall:
a. place an inmate who has a minor child in a State correctional facility as close as possible to that child's place of residence at the request of the inmate and prior to sentencing;
b. establish policies that encourage and promote visitation, particularly for inmates who are primary caretaker parents, including, but not limited to:
(1) requiring the visitation program be in operation at least six days per week, including Saturday and Sunday, for at least three hours per visit;
(2) prohibiting restrictions on the number of minor children allowed to visit an inmate;
(3) authorizing up to three adult visitors; and
(4) authorizing contact visits;
c. prohibit the isolated confinement of a pregnant woman;
d. prohibit a staff member of, or medical service provider for, a correctional facility from restraining a woman known to be pregnant or applying restraints during any stage of labor, any pregnancy related medical distress, delivery, or postpartum;
e. provide parenting classes to primary caretaker parents;
f. provide appropriate trauma informed care to inmates who are primary caretaker parents and train correctional police officers on how to interact with inmates who are victims of trauma;
g. allow former inmates who have returned to society, after appropriate internal clearance, to mentor current inmates who are incarcerated primary caretaker parents and assist these inmates with reentry efforts;
h. require standard feminine hygiene products, including but not limited to, tampons and sanitary pads, be provided at the request of and free of charge to female inmates and detainees, and petroleum jelly, aspirin, ibuprofen, and any other item deemed appropriate by the commissioner, to be made available to inmates and detainees from the commissary or medical department;
i. restrict correctional police officers and other department employees from entering the restrooms and shower facilities of inmates of the opposite sex when occupied except when deemed necessary by the commissioner; and
j. allow all pregnant women and inmates who are primary caretaker parents to enroll in residential drug abuse and mental health programs provided they meet the requirements of those programs.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.288, s.4)
6. Section 5 of P.L.2019, c.288 (C.30:1B-6.9) is amended to read as follows:
5. The chief executive officer or warden of each county correctional facility shall:
a. establish policies that encourage and promote visitation, particularly for inmates who are primary caretaker parents, including, but not limited to:
(1) requiring in-person visitation three days per week, including Saturday and Sunday, for at least 30 minutes per visit;
(2) prohibiting restrictions on the number of children allowed to visit an inmate consistent with current regulations;
(3) authorizing up to two adult visitors; and
(4) providing consistent access to contact visits;
(5) authorizing contact visits with children;
b. prohibit the isolated confinement of a pregnant woman;
c. prohibit a staff member of, or medical service provider for, a county correctional facility from restraining a woman known to be pregnant or applying restraints during any stage of labor, any pregnancy related medical distress, delivery, or postpartum;
d. provide parenting classes to inmates who are primary caretaker parents;
e. provide trauma informed care to inmates who are primary caretaker parents and train correctional police officers on how to interact with inmates who are victims of trauma;
f. allow former inmates who are participating members of a non-profit or reentry organization mentorship or visitation program approved by the chief executive officer or warden to mentor current inmates who are incarcerated primary caretaker parents and assist these inmates with reentry efforts;
g. require standard feminine hygiene products, including but not limited to tampons and sanitary pads, be provided at the request of and free of charge to female inmates and detainees, and petroleum jelly, aspirin, ibuprofen, and any other item deemed appropriate by the chief executive officer or warden, to be provided at the request of and free of charge to inmates and detainees;
h. restrict correctional police officers and other department employees from entering the restrooms and shower facilities of inmates of the opposite sex when occupied except when deemed necessary by the chief executive officer or warden; and
i. allow all pregnant women and inmates who are primary caretaker parents to enroll in residential drug abuse and mental health programs provided they meet the requirements of those programs.
(cf: P.L.20109, c.288, s.5)
7. (New section) a. The Commissioner Health shall establish a program whereby menstruating-capable Medicaid participants receive on a monthly basis feminine hygiene products free of charge or a monthly stipend for the purchase of feminine hygiene products.
b. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.
c. As used in this section, "feminine hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and menstrual cups and disks.
8. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health $500,000 for the purposes of section 1 of this act.
9. This act shall take effect 90 days from the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would provide free feminine hygiene products under certain circumstances. The bill would require institutions of higher education to stock feminine hygiene products in 75 percent of restrooms available for use by menstruating capable individuals. The bill directs the Department of Health to create a grant program to provide grants to institutions of higher education in the State for the provision of free feminine hygiene products in 75 percent of restrooms that are available for use by menstruating-capable individuals located at an institution. The bill appropriates $500,000 to the Department of Health for the purposes of the grant program.
Additionally, the bill would require private employers in the State with 100 or more employees to provide free feminine hygiene products to their employees. The bill would also require free feminine hygiene products to be available at publicly accessible restrooms in State buildings. The bill would also amend N.J.S.A.30:1B-6.8 and N.J.S.A.30:1B-6.9 to require the provision of free feminine hygiene products to female inmates and detainees in State and local correctional facilities.
Additionally, this bill also directs State agencies who utilize federal block grants to provide social services on a needs-basis to include in their federal applications funds to be set aside for the individuals and families served by the block grant for the provision of free feminine hygiene products or a stipend for an individual to purchase feminine hygiene products.
Lastly, the bill requires the Department of Health to provide free feminine hygiene products on a monthly basis or a monthly stipend for the purchase of such products to menstruating capable individuals enrolled in Medicaid. The bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as necessary for federal financial participation.
Where applicable, "feminine hygiene product" means sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups and disks. "Institution of higher education" means a two-year or four-year institution of higher learning.
