Students in Hawaii’s public schools will be able to access free sanitary products after Hawaii governor David Ige, Democrat (D), signed the SB2821 bill related to menstrual equality.
Ige while addressing the signing ceremony of the bill said he hopes the legislation he introduced will continue to provide menstrual products to students for free whenever they require.
https://twitter.com/GovHawaii/status/1538980444720418816?s=20&t=suB-uY995dzxCqKJDp_iTQ
According to The Hill, Ige said period poverty is a ‘real issue for young people’ which can affect their education in many ways’. “No student should have their educational journey hampered because of lack of access to menstrual products,” Ige was quoted as saying by the Hill.
Lack of access to menstrual products, education related to menstruation, hygiene and waste management facilities is period poverty and affects millions of women across the globe.
“It’s simple. No child should be forced to miss class because they can’t afford period products and need to stay home,” Ige said via a tweet.
California was among the other US states to introduce a legislation which asked public schools to stock up 50% of their restrooms with menstruation and female hygiene products which would be free for students to access.
New York Democrat Grace Meng is planning to introduce a legislation which would provide female students with free menstrual products in schools.
Female inmates in prison will also have access to menstrual products for detainees in federal, state and local prisons.
The expenditure would be borne through federal grant funds.
The legislation would also extend to large employers with 100 employees or more who will have to provide free menstrual products to their employees in the workplace through Medicare. It would also apply to employees at the US Capitol.
The US levies a tax on menstruation and female hygiene products called tampon tax.
(with inputs from The Hill)
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