OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS Legislative Office Building, Room 5200 Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200 http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa sHB-5272 AN ACT CONCERNING MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS. Primary Analyst: JS 4/12/22 Contributing Analyst(s): SB, ME, MP, CP, ES OFA Fiscal Note State Impact: Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $ Board of Regents for Higher Education Various - Cost Less than 10,000 Less than 10,000 UConn; UConn Health Ctr. Various - Cost Minimal Minimal Note: Various=Various Municipal Impact: Municipalities Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $ Local and Regional School Districts STATE MANDATE 1 - Cost See Below See Below Explanation The bill requires the distribution of free menstrual products in various settings, which results in annual costs to local and regional boards of education and to the higher education constituent units, beginning in FY 23. Section 2 requires local and regional boards of education to offer free menstrual products, which results in annual costs beginning in FY 23. Most local and regional school districts currently offer free menstrual products through the nurse's office, with annual costs 1 State mandate is defined in Sec. 2-32b(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes, "state mandate" means any state initiated constitutional, statutory or executive action that requires a local government to establish, expand or modify its activities in such a way as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues. 2022HB-05272-R000468-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2 ranging from approximately $250 to $1,000. If local and regional school districts are required to install dispensers in restrooms, this would result in additional costs. It is estimated that on average a dispenser costs between $200-$400. The overall cost to the districts would be dependent upon any additional product they would have to purchase and the number of total dispensers installed. If any donations or grants are available to meet the bill's requirements, the costs to the districts may be lower. Section 3 requires each public college or university to offer free menstrual products at one location per campus, which results in annual costs to the constituent units beginning in FY 23. The costs to the University of Connecticut (UConn) and UConn Health Center are anticipated to be minimal, based on a temporary pilot at two UConn campuses. An annual cost of less than $10,000 to the Board of Regents (BOR) across all institutions is expected, provided the bill's provisions are implemented through a dispenser method or a single location that is not a campus food pantry. Most of the 16 BOR institutions with student campuses currently offer free menstrual products in at least one such location, with annual costs at a few ranging from approximately $250 to $1,000. If any donations or grants are available to meet the bill's requirements, the costs to the constituent units may be lower. The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.