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ISSA Period Project Update—Coalition Goes to Capitol Hill & White House

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

Features

ISSA Led Coalition Goes to Capitol Hill and the White House

On March 28-29, ISSA, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, brought more than 75 industry leaders to Washington D.C. for their 2023 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit. On March 29, these advocates met with more than 80 congressional offices in support of tariff relief, ending period poverty, and an expansion of the workforce. Additionally, a group of 15 end period poverty advocates representing businesses, the Alliance for Period Supplies, INDA, the Nonwoven Fabrics Association, and ISSA met separately with Congressional offices, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the White House’s Gender Policy Council on ways to address period poverty in the United States.

ISSA Gives Award to Rep. Grace Meng for Period Poverty 

ISSA recognized Representative Meng for helping to bring about federal policy changes regarding the access of menstrual products to all who need them. “It is an amazing honor to receive the Outstanding Government Service Award from ISSA, recognizing the work I have proudly championed in the fight for menstrual equity,” said Representative Meng. “We know the cleaning and sanitation industry is vitally important, which was highlighted throughout the pandemic. I look forward to doing all I can to help improve and support this critical industry and continuing my efforts in fighting for menstrual equity”.

Hygieia Network Webinar: Advocating for an End to Period Poverty

Join ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association and the ISSA Hygieia Network on March 25 during Period Poverty Awareness Week to learn about what period poverty is, how industry is impacted, and how you can help advance the issue. This webinar will feature John Nothdurft, Director of Government Affairs at ISSA and Jennifer Gaines, Program Director at Alliance for Period Supplies. The webinar is sponsored by Aunt Flow and Hospeco Brands Group. Register for free today!

Legislative Updates

ISSA State Legislative Activity Tracker
ISSA is tracking legislation regarding 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

New Mexico Becomes 15 State To Require Period Products in Schools

On March 30, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill to make free menstrual products available in every public school, according to the NM Political Report. “Thank you to the New Mexico state legislature for passing and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for signing this important piece of legislation to address period poverty in the state,” said John Nothdurft, Director of Government Affairs for ISSA. Learn more

Many state legislatures are winding down their state legislative sessions for the year, so it is now “crunch time” for many of these bills to move in 2023. 

Arizona only has 16 days left in session, so SB 1675 is a longshot, but since it passed through the Senate Education Committee, it could get added to a larger appropriations bill.

California has a Senate Appropriations hearing for (SB 59) on April 17. This bill would further expand their requirement for state-owned and leased buildings, local government buildings, and hospitals receiving state funding. The bill has already passed through the other relevant committees. This is likely the last step before the full Senate takes up the bill.

The Florida legislative session started on March 7 but the House and Senate bills to require menstrual care products in schools (FL SB 334/ FL HB 389) face an uphill battle this session. HB 289 was favorably reported by the Education & Employment Committee, but the bill was changed from “shall provide” to “may provide”. The bills are supported by the Coalition Against Period Poverty. Learn more

In Minnesota, MN SF 50 and MN HF 44 which would require public and charter schools to provide students access to free menstrual products in student restrooms for grades 4-12 have been added to H2497 the education omnibus funding bill. 

On March 28, Mississippi HB 1264 was signed into law. The law authorizes but does not require school districts to make period products available at no cost to school students for grades 6-12.

In Missouri on March 1, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced the launch of the $1 million Feminine Hygiene Products Grant Program which is available to local education agencies (LEAs). This was made possible because in 2022 the Missouri General Assembly appropriated $1 million for the 2022-23 school year to provide feminine hygiene products for Missouri students enrolled in grades 6-12.    

States where legislation was introduced but are dead for 2023 due to missing a legislative deadline, session ending, or the bill being voted down include: Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. 

Many states, including South Carolina and Texas are primed to repeal the sales tax applied to menstrual care items this session. Here is a list from Period Law of the 22 states that still tax these items and where the legislation currently currently stands.

News

• American Academy of Pediatrics Endorses Statement on Period Poverty
• Menstruators Demand Higher Standards for Managing Periods Away-From-Home
• Time Magazine Opinion: Prisons Use Menstruation as a Form of Punishment
• Paving the way for period poverty reform
• Save the Date: May 22-28 is Period Poverty Awareness Week

Featured Organization

Dignity Grows is a leading nonprofit promoting menstrual and comprehensive equity. Their mission is to provide individuals in need with essential personal hygiene products so they can attend school and work and participate in community life without interruption. They have 57 chapters in 25 states that are hard at work to promote, educate and distribute period products in the most dignified manner. 

At the end of 2022, Dignity Grows had distributed over 4.5 million free period products.  Already this year, more than 5,000 Dignity Grows Totes have been distributed, translating into an additional 180,000 period products. 

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.