Provides for free feminine hygiene products under certain circumstances; appropriates $500,000.

S4182

SENATE, No. 4182

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

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 read 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.2019, 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.