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Ohio committee hears testimony backing House Bill 29 to guarantee menstrual products, showers and disposal in jails and prisons
Summary
A lengthy second hearing on House Bill 29 featured dozens of proponent witnesses — including formerly incarcerated women, advocates and nonprofits — who described routine denial of pads and tampons, limited showers and unsanitary disposal practices. Supporters urged codifying access statewide and asked ODRC to explain compliance gaps in its 2022 policy.
Chair Susan Manchester convened the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee for a second hearing on House Bill 29, which would require correctional facilities to provide free, adequate menstrual products in multiple sizes, daily access to showers and appropriate receptacles for disposal.
The bill drew sustained, emotional proponent testimony from people with lived experience and non‑profit advocates. Erin Knowl, who said she served a 12‑year sentence, told the committee she sometimes begged other inmates for supplies and that product shortages forced women to improvise unsafe alternatives. "No matter what the punishment, no woman should ever have to bleed all over herself or feel ashamed for doing something the body does naturally," she said.
Researchers and advocates described systemic patterns. Heidi Arnold, who said she compiled accounts from 36 formerly incarcerated women, cited a 2021 Prison Policy Initiative finding that indigent thresholds in Ohio (accounts qualifying as indigent when balances fall below $12) make basic supplies effectively unaffordable; she also said state pay for incarcerated workers is under $20, which limits commissary purchases. Michaela Burris of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center argued that while ODRC issued a 2022 policy providing free products in some facilities, it is not codified into law and does not reach jails, halfway houses and other local facilities.
Several former inmates described medical and dignity harms. Dianera Garcia said she repeatedly requested help for excessive bleeding and was denied tests; she told the committee she later left prison with stage‑3 uterine cancer and asked legislators to prevent others from suffering similar outcomes. Janie Martin, whose written testimony was read into the record, recounted hospitalizations and lack of hot water in cells, saying showers were sometimes unavailable for days and that hot water shortages complicate infection prevention.
Nonprofit and faith groups also urged passage. Kimberly Jordan of Building Freedom Ohio and Wendy Tarr of Accompanying Returning Citizens With Hope described product rationing, hoarding and bartering and said quality products are a better public health investment than treating preventable infections. Marsha Forsen of the Catholic Conference of Ohio characterized the bill as consistent with the conference's interest in dignity for people in state care and noted unanimous House passage.
Senator Johnson asked the panel to secure more information from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) about why the 2022 policy has not produced uniform statewide implementation; a committee staff member said they would follow up. Several senators offered to sign a letter seeking ODRC clarification.
House Bill 29 does not proceed to a committee vote during this hearing; the committee concluded the second hearing and adjourned. Advocates asked members to move the legislation forward so legal requirements, enforcement and consistent implementation would cover all correctional facilities in Ohio rather than relying on non‑binding policies.
The bill’s next procedural step was not announced on the record at the hearing. The committee directed members to written proponent materials on their iPads and adjourned.
