What's happening
This bill creates a program to provide free feminine hygiene products in schools in fifteen low-income New York municipalities.
Why it matters
Targets Period Poverty. By focusing on municipalities with the highest child poverty rates outside of New York City, the bill aims to directly address period poverty among low-income students—helping to reduce absenteeism and health issues tied to lack of access to feminine hygiene products.
Reduces Stigma and Ensures Dignity. The legislation requires that products be provided in a convenient, non-stigmatizing manner, which can help normalize menstruation and promote student dignity and well-being in school settings.
Public-Private Partnerships & Accountability. The bill allows for public-private partnerships to fund or supply products, potentially leveraging community or corporate support, and requires annual reporting on costs, donations, and adequacy of supply—ensuring transparency and ongoing program evaluation.
Data-Driven Implementation. Selection of municipalities is based on current census data, and the program includes mechanisms for adjusting product supply based on actual usage, making the approach responsive to real student needs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Free Period Products in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
38 Co-sponsors
- Donna Lupardo
- Aravella Simotas
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Carmen De La Rosa
- Vivian Cook
- Crystal Peoples-Stokes
- Stacey Pheffer Amato
- Rebecca Seawright
- Ellen C. Jaffee
- Jo Anne Simon
- Addie Jenne
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- Barbara Lifton
- Tremaine Wright
- Michele Titus
- Diana Richardson
- Yuh-Line Niou
- Jaime R. Williams
- Earlene Hooper
- Kimberly Jean-Pierre
- Pamela J. Hunter
- Maritza Davila
- Latoya Joyner
- Deborah Glick
- Richard Gottfried
- Michael Blake
- Michael G. Miller
- Robert C. Carroll
- Anthony Brindisi
- Marcos Crespo
- Jose Rivera
- Erik Dilan
- William Colton
- Amy Paulin
- Alicia Hyndman
- Latrice Walker
- Michaelle C. Solages
- Jeffrion Aubry
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
347
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 5, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to feminine hygiene product access in schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2508 to read as follows:
§ 2508. Feminine hygiene product access in schools. 1. The commissioner shall establish a demonstration program to provide free feminine hygiene products in fifteen low income areas throughout the state in accordance with this section. The commissioner may utilize public-private partnerships to provide such feminine hygiene products or funding therefor.
2. The commissioner shall identify fifteen municipalities, outside of a city with a population of one million or more, that have the highest child poverty rates in the state. The commissioner shall use the most up-to-date census data available in selecting such municipalities.
3. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of education, shall work with school districts in the municipalities identified in accordance with subdivision two of this section to provide free feminine hygiene products to be accessible to all middle and high school students in each district. Such amount may be adjusted from time to time based on utilization. The commissioner, the commissioner of education and the school districts shall work to ensure that such products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize any student seeking such products.
4. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of education, shall report to the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the senate within fifteen months of the implementation of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01787-02-7
A. 347 2
such demonstration program, and annually thereafter, the following information:
(a) the total cost to the state of the program;
(b) the total private contribution, if any, including a breakdown of monetary and product donation;
(c) the total number of feminine hygiene products provided to school districts, and an assessment of whether or not such amount was adequate to serve the female students in such districts; and
(d) any other information the commissioner deems necessary.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.