photo credit: UC Davis
New legislation introduced this week would ensure that Californians have access to free menstrual products in workplaces and public buildings, according to state Sen. Nancy Skinner.
Skinner, chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, brought forward legislation Senate Bill 59, “Equity, Period,” which states that all state-owned buildings and any places that administer state services, as well as state-funded hospitals, would provide free period products in women’s and all-gender bathrooms.
“We expect restrooms in public spaces to provide basic essentials for health and sanitation, but this expectation fails to recognize that more than half of our state’s population needs more than toilet paper and hand washing supplies,” Skinner said in a press release.
The products would also be placed in one men’s restroom per building, according to Skinner.
A principal co-author of SB 59 is Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, who is the vice chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.
Access to menstrual products has increased due to the state enacting budget and legislative policies that included ending the tax on period products and requiring that they be given out free of charge.
These items as of now can be found free in the State Capitol building, public schools of grades 6-12, community colleges, and the California State University system.
“Toilet paper is expected to be free and accessible to everyone in our public restrooms,” said Skinner. “Menstrual products should be treated the same.”
Additionally, Los Angeles and San Diego counties last year were allocated $2 million through the state budget to support a free menstrual product-distribution pilot program.
27 comments
Please ask Nancy to define “Free”.
Somebody pays………………..
Define “woman”
How about free toothpaste, deodorant, soap, hair brush, and skin moisturizers. It never ends with Democrats.
As a woman, why can’t people bring their own products???? Why do we have to keep paying for everyone to have everything???
Men don’t need such products.
There must be appropriate compensation for men to keep the spending equal for both sexes.
BTW NOTHING is free.
Maybe a free Old Spice dispenser?!?!
Because you might have different products than someone ‘less fortunate’ and that would not be fair … and then Nancy, Weiner and Newscum would all be bent out of shape, saying “It’s not fair!”
And this is not free, our taxpayers will have to pay for the supplies, so every taxpayer would get to chip in the financial cost of this new stupid program.
Now I know were to go to get some freebees to soak up my spills. What about incontinence products, us boomers are getting old.
The answer to your question depends.
And, what about “moist wipes” if you happen to be fastidious?
That’s true for us IBS syndrome people.
Is nothing sacred? Do we have to legislate our most private moments and drips. Somehow we managed to keep it under control for the past 30 years without making a public spectacle of ourselves, or garnering “sympathy” for what is basically a fact of life. Skinner’s generation are a bunch of hopeless, pathetic wimps. Next thing you know they’ll be requiring transfusions once a month. Toughen up ladies, you’re looking “Victorian” weak.
“Government out of my crouch!” Geeze!
In the men’s restroom??? Is that for a woman who identifies as a man, and uses the men’s room? If she identifies as a man, then he should be macho enough to tough it out. As John Wayne would say, “Aww, it’s only a scratch.”
Joking aside, one problem I have with this is that there are too many dishonest people who will steal a bagful of tampons and pads to take home.
No kidding! One woman I worked with at UC Berkeley kept her home supplied with toilet paper from the campus restrooms.
She must of had a tough butt with that sandpaper TP.
Prolly 36-grit thighs n butt crack.
Maybe some chafing!
It was “rough stuff,” it’s true, but I guess better than paying for it. I guess nobody at home including, her husband and children, were complaining. What can you do, really, when it’s the only stuff she kept on hand?
The products would also be placed in one men’s restroom. This is where it really gets dumb. Here is another dumb thing from last night’s news.
A crippled lady from Central America who is receiving treatment for cancer in the US needs an approval from Joe to stay in the country while millions of illegals are flooding our border. Doesn’t get any dumber.
I’m fine with this. It’s nice when the government actually puts forth legislation to actually make life easier for people, rather than sitting on their asses while getting paid. As a taxpayer, I support this. Merry Christmas!
The last time I was at a CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens etc. there was an isle full of incontinence products for men. Maybe those should be free too. Equal Rights.
She named it “Equity Period”? Wouldn’t something like “Periods Matter” have been more appropriate?
Skinner chairs “The California Legislative Woman’s Caucus”.
That doesn’t sound like an especially inclusive organization.
if this legislation isn’t passed, there will be blood on the streets.
What declarative sentence does not end with a period? I’m pregnant
California is facing down a 24 billion dollar deficit. What troubles me with all these new programs being introduced is that they never volunteer how much it’s going to cost and where the money is going to come from, particularly when our state ecosystem is in such dire need and is vastly underfunded.
Think of California as a 172 year old checkbook that has never been balanced.
Periodically they raise taxes and throw more of our money at it, hoping the checks don’t bounce.
One day they will. Followed by a bunch of glandular scratching.
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