Designates Monday of Manufacturing Week as Women in Manufacturing Day in New Jersey.

SJR135

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 135

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Singleton

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates Monday of Manufacturing Week as Women in
Manufacturing Day in New Jersey.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
designating the Monday of
Manufacturing Week as Women in Manufacturing Day in New Jersey and amending
P.L.2020, J.R.5.

Whereas,

�Throughout history, women have played a pivotal role in the manufacturing
industry as laborers, leaders, and innovators; and

Whereas,

�Women are responsible for the invention of products that revolutionized the
manufacturing industry, including the circular saw, invented by Tabitha Babbitt
in 1810, safety devices for textile looms and machines to cut and assemble
paper bags, both designed by Margaret Knight in the late 1800s, and Kevlar,
which is used in cables and cut-resistant work gloves and was first created by
Stephanie Kwolek in the 1960s; and

Whereas,

�Manufacturing is a critical component of New Jersey�s economy, and women
comprise one-third of the manufacturing industry�s workforce and occupy 25
percent of leadership positions in manufacturing companies; and

Whereas,

�New Jersey is the third highest state for percentage of women working in the
manufacturing industry and is among the states with the largest number of women
working in key manufacturing fields like pharmaceuticals and textiles; and

Whereas,

�Gender diversity in a company is proven to result in an improved ability to
innovate, higher return on equity, and increased profitability for
manufacturing companies; and

Whereas,

�Organizations like the Women in Manufacturing Association and The
Manufacturing Institute are working to provide mentorship and recognition to
women in the manufacturing industry in order to increase the number of women
entering the manufacturing industry; and

Whereas,

�Despite recent progress, women still constitute one of the largest pools of
untapped talent in manufacturing, and closing the industry�s gender gap is
critical to the evolution and expansion of manufacturing businesses; and

Whereas,

�The celebration of women�s contributions to the manufacturing industry would
encourage more women to pursue careers in the field; and

Whereas,

�It is fitting that we recognize and promote the valuable role that women play
in New Jersey�s manufacturing industry by designating the Monday of
Manufacturing Week as Women in Manufacturing Day; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2020,
J.R.5 (C.36:2-398) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.���
a.
� The first
week of October of each year is designated as Manufacturing Week in the State
of New Jersey in recognition of the significance the manufacturing industry
plays in the State's economy.

����
b.��� The Monday of Manufacturing
Week is designated as Women in Manufacturing Day in recognition of the
contributions of the thousands of women who work in the State�s manufacturing
industry.

(cf: P.L.2020, J.R.5, s.1)

��
2.��� Section
2 of P.L.2020, J.R.5 (C.36:2-399) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� The Governor is
respectfully requested to issue a proclamation annually and call upon public
[
,
]
officials,
private organizations, and all citizens of this State to observe
[
this
]

the

celebration
of Manufacturing Week and Women in Manufacturing Day
each
year with appropriate events and activities.

(cf: P.L.2020, J.R.5, s.1)

���� 3.��� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This resolution designates the
Monday of Manufacturing Week as Women in Manufacturing Day.� This day
recognizes the historical and modern contributions of women to the
manufacturing industry in the State of New Jersey.

���� Throughout history, women have
played a crucial role in the manufacturing industry.� Since the Industrial
Revolution, women have made up a significant portion of the workforce,
contributing as laborers, leaders, and innovators.� Women like Tabitha Babbitt,
Margaret Knight, and Stephanie Kwolek revolutionized the manufacturing industry
with their inventions, paving the way for increased productivity and better
safety measures.

���� Women continue to play an
important role in the manufacturing industry.� Manufacturing is crucial to New
Jersey�s economy and women constitute a substantial portion of the workforce in
both labor and leadership positions. New Jersey is the third highest state for
percentage of women working in the manufacturing industry and is among the
states with the largest number of women working in key manufacturing fields
like pharmaceuticals and textiles.� The women who work in New Jersey�s
manufacturing industry are a vital part of its success.

���� Women are an essential part of
any plan to grow the manufacturing industry.� Gender diversity in a business is
proven to result in an improved ability to innovate and increases
profitability, and as such helps any company to expand and evolve.� One of the
key components to recruiting more women to the field of manufacturing is
encouraging women from a younger age, and the celebration of women�s
contributions to the field would capture the interest of girls and young women.