Period Health Policies: Is Your State Working to Make Menstrual Equity a Priority?

This bill also requires schools to publish on its website and post in its common areas the locations of the bathrooms where the hygiene products are provided. Finally, this bill provides that each school must consult with its school nurse regarding the products to be provided.

in female restroom facilities of public school buildings; providing applicability; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, feminine hygiene products are a health care necessity and are not items that can be foregone or substituted easily, and WHEREAS, access to feminine hygiene products is a serious and ongoing need in this state, and WHEREAS, when students do not have access to affordable feminine hygiene products, they may miss multiple days of school every month, and WHEREAS, when students have access to quality feminine hygiene products, they are able to continue with their daily lives with minimal interruption, NOW, THEREFORE,

to amend Chapter 1 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding health, so as to encourage physicians and nurses providing a tampon for use by any female patient under his or her care to recite and provide certain written information to such female patient regarding the best practices for and risks associated with the use of tampons; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

 the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to use their benefits to purchase menstrual hygiene products. Requires the Department to apply for any waiver or State Plan amendment, if required, to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Provides that implementation shall be contingent on federal approval.

 that provide temporary housing assistance to women or youth. Provides that a homeless shelter’s obligation to satisfy this requirement is subject to the availability of funds in the homeless shelter’s general budget.

Requires the governing board of each public university and community college district to make feminine hygiene products available, at no cost to students, in the bathrooms of facilities or portions of facilities that (i) are owned or leased by the board or over which the board has care, custody, and control and (ii) are used for student instruction or administrative purposes. Effective immediately.

in each restroom facility that is situated within a State park and under the jurisdiction and control of the Department of Natural Resources. Defines “menstrual hygiene products” and “restroom facility”. Effective immediately.

Requires the department to administer certain medications for women suffering from an active substance use disorder during pregnancy. Requires the department to create and implement written policies that do the following: (1) Provide women with access to: (A) conventional beds; or (B) bottom bunks; during pregnancy or the six weeks following the delivery of a child, as applicable, in order to minimize the risk of serious injury in the event of a fall. (2) Require the timely reporting of certain obstetric emergencies to a physician or qualified medical professional. (3) Comply with specified requirements concerning the use of restraints, shackles, and restraint techniques on pregnant and postpartum women. (4) Require correctional officers to remain outside of delivery rooms in certain instances. Provides the department with rulemaking and emergency rulemaking authority for the purpose of creating and implementing certain practices and policies. Requires the department to adopt specified standards that apply to county jails. Provides that: (1) agents; (2) employees; and (3) persons contracted to work on behalf of the department; are immune from civil liability, damages, and punitive damages, for certain acts or omissions. Specifies an exception. Makes conforming amendments.

to provide for a state sales and use tax exemption for certain purchases of diapers; to provide for definitions; to provide for the effectiveness of the optional local sales and use tax exemption for certain purchases of feminine hygiene products and diapers; to provide for certain requirements and limitations; and to provide for related matters.

requiring a public middle or high school to install menstrual hygiene product dispensers in at least two restrooms on or before October 1, 2021, and certain restrooms on or before August 1, 2025; and requiring a public elementary school to install menstrual hygiene product dispensers in at least one restroom by October 1, 2021.

and prohibiting local health departments and community action agencies from requiring payment for certain feminine hygiene products.

requiring a public middle or high school to install menstrual hygiene product dispensers in at least two women’s restrooms by October 1, 2022, and in all women’s restrooms by August 1, 2025; requiring the State to reimburse a county board for the costs of purchasing and installing menstrual hygiene product dispensers; etc.

to bona fide charitable and nonprofit organizations. It also provides the same immunity to the charitable and nonprofit organizations that distribute those donations.

Maine Revenue Services is required to study available options to offset any lost sales tax revenue, including taxation of imported luxury foods. Maine Revenue Services is directed to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation by December 1, 2021, and the committee is authorized to submit a bill based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.

multiplied by 1.85, have direct access to feminine hygiene products in at least 50 percent of the school bathrooms free of charge. Any costs incurred by a school district in complying with the provisions of this bill will be borne by the State. For purposes of this bill, “feminine hygiene products” mean tampons and sanitary napkins.

Under the bill, every package or box containing menstrual products that is sold or offered for sale in this State would be required to contain a label listing all of the ingredients and the percentage of each ingredient.

Under the bill, a nurse practitioner or physician is to ask each female patient who is exhibiting symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis if the patient has an active menstrual cycle or the date of the last menstrual cycle if the female patient does not have an active menstrual cycle at the time of the medical visit. A nurse practitioner or physician is to ask a female patient with an active menstrual cycle or a recently active menstrual cycle, when the patient most recently used a tampon and if the patient experienced symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis while using the tampon or soon thereafter.

multiplied by 1.85, have direct access to feminine hygiene products in at least 50 percent of the school bathrooms free of charge. Any costs incurred by a school district in complying with the provisions of this bill will be borne by the State. For purposes of this bill, “feminine hygiene products” mean tampons and sanitary napkins.

health education, or health policy and to meet not less than twice per year; require the Agency of Education to update and distribute to school districts a model wellness program policy; and ensure that female students attending a public school or an approved independent school have access to menstrual hygiene products at no cost and without the embarrassment of having to request them.