Subcommittee moves bill to add menopause, perimenopause protections to state anti-discrimination law

The House Committee on General Laws subcommittee reported Senate Bill 258 on a voice vote after adopting a substitute that merges similar House and Senate language and explicitly adds perimenopause to menopause protections.

Senator Piekarski, the bill's patron, told the subcommittee the substitute aligns a House bill by Delegate Tran with the Senate version and adds perimenopause to the Virginia Human Rights Act, "recogniz[ing] the importance of including both menopause and perimenopause" and prohibiting discrimination in government programs, public accommodations, employment and hiring.

A committee member asked whether the substitute is identical to the House bill; Piekarski said the measures are very similar, that the substitute preserves enactment and reporting recommendations from the House measure, and that Delegate Tran supports the merged text.

When asked for examples of discrimination and for clarification about perimenopause, Piekarski said perimenopause is "a period before menopause. It can last total about 7 to 10 years," and said there are anecdotal reports nationwide of people being denied employment opportunities because of where they are in their reproductive arc, though she acknowledged formal data are limited.

Colin Grady Carter of the Medical Society of Virginia spoke in support, saying, "We support the bill and thank the patron for bringing it forward." Adela Tibble, speaking from the dais as someone with lived experience, also endorsed the measure and moved that the subcommittee report the bill; the motion was seconded and the clerk closed the roll to report SB 258.

The subcommittee did not record a named roll-call tally in the transcript; the motion to report followed public support and committee discussion. The bill now moves to the full committee for further consideration.