Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
                               ASSEMBLY, No. 2027
                             STATE OF NEW JERSEY
                               221st LEGISLATURE
                                             DATED: JULY 3, 2024
                                                  SUMMARY
    Synopsis:                   Establishes State Work First New Jersey Menstrual Hygiene Benefit
                                Program and State Work First New Jersey Diaper Benefit Program;
                                appropriates $2.5 million to DHS.
    Type of Impact:             State expenditure increase, General Fund.
    Agencies Affected:          Department of Human Services.
                                       Office of Legislative Services Estimate
    Fiscal Impact                              One-Time                              Annual
    State Cost Increase                       Up to $60,000                       $2.4 million
    The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill will increase annual State
     costs by $2.4 million in order to provide menstrual hygiene benefits and diaper benefits to
     certain Work First New Jersey Program beneficiaries, as described under the bill.
    The OLS assumes that the Department of Human Services will incur one-time expenses up to
     $60,000 to make technological modifications to the State’s existing electronic benefits transfer
     system to accommodate these new benefit programs.
    The bill appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services
     for the purposes of the bill.
                                            BILL DESCRIPTION
    This bill establishes the State Work First New Jersey Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Program and
the State Work First New Jersey Diaper Benefit Program in the Division of Family Development
in the Department of Human Services. Work First New Jersey is the State’s cash assistance
program for low-income residents.
    Under the Menstrual Hygiene Program, the division is to distribute to each Work First New
Jersey participant who menstruates and who is between 18 to 50 years of age a monthly State
      Office of Legislative Services                                    Legislative Budget and Finance Office
           State House Annex                                                    Phone (609) 847-3105
              P.O. Box 068                                                       Fax (609) 777-2442
      Trenton, New Jersey 08625                                                  www.njleg.state.nj.us
                                              FE to A2027
                                                    2
benefit of $14. Under the Diaper Benefit Program, the division is to distribute to each person
participating in Work First New Jersey a monthly State benefit of $30 for each dependent of the
person who is under 36 months of age. The division is required to distribute the monthly State
benefit under both programs via the participant’s Work First New Jersey electronic benefits
transfer card, on the same issuance date as the participant’s standard Work First New Jersey
benefits.
    The bill appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services
to effectuate the purposes of the bill.
                                       FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
    None received; however, data provided by the Department of Human Services indicated that
in May 2023, there were 9,200 female beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 59 participating in
Work First New Jersey and 2,200 children under the age of three participating in Work First New
Jersey. As of April 2024, participation in the Work First New Jersey Program has increased by 16
percent compared to May 2023 levels.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
    The OLS estimates that this bill will increase annual State costs by $2.4 million in order to
provide menstrual hygiene benefits and diaper benefits to certain Work First New Jersey Program
beneficiaries, as described under the bill. This estimate is based upon enrollment data provided
by the Department of Human Services. Of the expenditure growth, $1.4 million is attributed to
the Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Program and $918,000 is attributed to the Diaper Benefit Program.
    In addition, the OLS assumes that the Department of Human Services will incur one-time
expenses up to $60,000 to make technological modifications to the State’s existing electronic
benefits transfer system to accommodate these new benefit programs. To the extent that federal
funds can be utilized, State expenditures will decrease. Currently, Work First New Jersey and
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries access benefits via electronic benefits
transfer cards. In March of 2023, the department initiated a State-funded benefit under the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which required a $60,000 update to the State’s
electronic benefits transfer system. This estimate assumes the provisions of the bill will cost up to
this amount.
  Section:      Human Services
  Analyst:      Sarah Schmidt
                Lead Research Analysist
  Approved:     Thomas Koenig
                Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).