General Assembly passes Sen. Lawson and Rep. McEntee’s legislation which requires feminine hygiene products to be provided in public schools

STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly today passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) and Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) which would require all public schools to provide feminine hygiene products at no cost.

The legislation (2021-S 0086A / 2021-H 5083A) states that at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, all public schools teaching grades five through 12 shall make feminine hygiene products available in the schools.  The products will be available in all gender-neutral bathrooms and any female designated bathrooms.  The products shall be provided at no cost to the students.

“We all know how necessary feminine hygiene products are, but what many people do not realize, and I see this as a long time educator, is that a lack of access to these products can cause students to miss crucial school days.  These products are a daily necessity to so many students and just as schools provide toilet paper for the bathrooms, these products should also be readily accessible for our students in need,” said Senator Lawson.

“These products are not luxuries, they are necessities for many of our students.  If soap and paper towels are available in bathrooms, so should feminine hygiene products, it’s as simple as that.  This bill will prevent the embarrassment suffered by our students who have an accident during the school day and afford them the dignity that they deserve,” said Representative McEntee.

The legislation now heads to the governor’s desk for consideration.

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