News

ISSA Period Project Update—A Flurry of Legislative Action

Welcome to ISSA’s Period Project Update. This communication will keep you up to date on the association’s efforts to end period poverty through our advocacy and education. We encourage you sign up for this monthly update.

Features

ISSA Launches Period Poverty Action Center 1.0
As part of ISSA’s End Period Poverty landing page and on ISSA.com advocates can now email, call, and/or tweet all of their federal and state legislators on pending legislation regarding increasing access to period products in facilities in less than a minute. Please take a moment to let your members of Congress and state elected officials know by going to our action center. Learn more

Rep. Grace Meng to Receive Award at ISSA’s Clean Advocacy Summit
At the 2023 Clean Advocacy Summit and Fly-In, ISSA will be giving our Award for Outstanding Government Service to Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) for her work on period poverty. The 2023 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit will take place March 28-29 in Arlington, VA and Washington, DC as part of National Clean Week! On the first day of this two-day premier advocacy event, participants will receive the “inside scoop” on the top public policy issues facing their business and industry and training on how to be an effective Advocate for Clean, as well as network with leaders across the industry. On the second day, participants will apply their new knowledge and skills meeting with their congressional delegation to advance the industry.
Learn more

Feminine Hygiene Products Market Poised for Growth
The international feminine hygiene product market will reach US$62.7 billion by 2033, up from $31.6 billion in 2023, a compound annual grown rate (CAGR) of 7.1%, according to projections in a report from Future Market Insights Inc.
Learn more

Legislative Updates

Currently there are 46 state legislatures in session.

ISSA State Legislative Activity Tracker
ISSA is tracking legislation regarding to increased access in away-from-home facilities in all 50 states. Feel free to bookmark this link as it should update as we continue to track. Let us know if we are missing any. Learn more

California is considering legislation (SB 59) to further expand their requirement to state owned and leased buildings, local government buildings, and hospitals receiving state funding. The sponsor’s office is asking for supporting groups to sign a letter of support on the bill https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/. Their best guess is that the committee could take up the bill in middle to late February.

In Minnesota, house file 44 passed through the House Education Policy Committee, would require public and charter schools to provide students access to free menstrual products in student restrooms for grades 4-12. Rep. Ron Kresha (R-Little Falls) indicated his support for the bill’s premise and his willingness for the state to supply funding but stated that, “The biological dignity of this we agree on,” he said. However, he opposes the mandate, believing the bill signals that the Legislature does not trust local school districts to do the right thing and tackle this issue themselves.”

South Carolina has bills to eliminate the sales tax and a school access bill and they are both sponsored by a Republican and a Democrat.

There are a host of other states including Massachusetts and New Jersey that have been wrangling over multiple bills the last couple years. There is optimism these can be passed this session with continued pressure.

The New Mexico House Education Committee passed a menstrual product in schools bill this week unanimously. There was some dissent and discussion over some aspects of the bill that will likely be taken up on the floor once it is debated. Learn more

News

• REPLAY: Addressing Period Poverty in U.S. Schools
• NBC News: Virginia teens create ‘period pantry’ with free feminine hygiene products
• Free menstrual products in NSW Australia schools
• Viewpoint: Solving period poverty is about more than just making products free
• Pay It Forward: Idaho Period Project

Featured Organization

PERIOD. is a global youth-fueled nonprofit that strives to eradicate period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy. Through the distribution of menstrual products, promotion of youth leadership, and championing of menstrual equity in policy, PERIOD. aims to center those disproportionately affected by period poverty and support local efforts for menstrual equity. 

In 2023, PERIOD. is ready for systemic change to bring us closer to ending period poverty in our lifetime. PERIOD. partners with hundreds of organizations and grassroots organizers around the country to draft and pass policies that mandate products in schools to help lift students out of period poverty and has partnered with organizations like Period Law to end unfair taxes on menstrual products in the remaining 22 states. 

Learn more about PERIOD. at www.period.org.

Please contact us with any ISSA government affairs questions and/or comments that you may have. And thank you for supporting our advocacy efforts. You can find out more about ISSA’s End Period Poverty campaign and contribute here.