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Advocates press legislature to require free menstrual products in public buildings
Summary
Advocates and students told the joint committee S.2156/H.3318 would increase dignity and equity by requiring free menstrual products in state‑run buildings and higher‑education restrooms; proponents provided counts of distributed products and estimates of potential beneficiaries while urging a favorable committee report.
Advocates for menstrual equity told the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight that S.2156 / H.3318 would require state agencies and public higher‑education institutions to provide free menstrual products in restrooms for employees, students and the general public.
“Menstrual products are basic hygiene just like toilet paper and soap and should not be a neglected part of public restrooms,” said Mariela Del Sesto, one of several young advocates who testified in support.
The bill’s supporters described both grassroots distribution work and statewide scale: Kenzie Blackwell, founder and director of Free Period, said Free Period has provided more than 3,600,000 products in the Commonwealth since 2021. Kyla Pfizer, operations and communications manager at MassNOW, said Massachusetts state government employs over 46,000 public‑sector workers and the state's community colleges and public universities serve more than 225,000 students; using a rough assumption that half are menstruators, Pfizer said the policy could immediately benefit roughly 112,000 students alone.
Advocates framed the bill as threefold: to cover unexpected periods for people in public spaces, to reduce financial barriers to basic hygiene for low‑income persons, and to formalize provision so that front‑line staff are not compelled to use personal funds to supply products. Pfizer said MassNOW has been distributing products directly — “Over the last 7 months alone, we've distributed over half a million menstrual products throughout Massachusetts,” she told the committee.
Witnesses called the requirement a practical way to advance gender equity in public health and to prevent humiliation for those who cannot afford or access supplies. Student witnesses described episodes of being unprepared in school and public restrooms and asked lawmakers to remove that risk for other menstruators.
There was no formal committee action recorded at the hearing; sponsors and advocates asked the committee to report the bill favorably so it can move to later consideration.
Ending: The committee heard testimony from volunteer organizations, students and policy groups asking for a statutory requirement that state buildings stock menstrual products; advocates requested a favorable committee report and additional sponsors indicated support.
