Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H534 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 2
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1783 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 534
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jay D. Livingstone and Christine P. Barber
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk1/18/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/18/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/18/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/19/2023Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex1/20/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/23/2023Danielle W. Gregoire4th Middlesex1/24/2023Tram T. Nguyen18th Essex1/24/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester1/25/2023Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex1/25/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/25/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/26/2023Jeffrey N. Roy10th Norfolk1/26/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex1/26/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/27/2023Jessica Ann Giannino16th Suffolk1/27/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol1/27/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex1/28/2023 2 of 2
16	16	Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/29/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester1/30/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk1/31/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex2/5/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Andres X. Vargas3rd Essex2/8/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/8/2023Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth2/8/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/8/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/13/2023Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/22/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/22/2023Manny Cruz7th Essex2/23/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex3/7/2023 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1783 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 534
19	19	By Representatives Livingstone of Boston and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by
20	20	bill, House, No. 534) of Jay D. Livingstone, Christine P. Barber and others for legislation to
21	21	increase access to disposable menstrual products. Education.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
31	31	2following section:-
32	32	3 Section 31. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
33	33	4meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
34	34	5 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
35	35	6but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
36	36	7 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
37	37	8 (b) Any provider of temporary housing assistance, including, but not be limited to, a
38	38	9family shelter, a shelter for adults, a hotel used for emergency shelter, an emergency apartment, a
39	39	10domestic violence shelter, a runaway and homeless youth shelter or a safe house for refugees,
40	40	11shall provide disposable menstrual products at no cost to a menstruating individual. The 2 of 3
41	41	12disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize
42	42	13the individual seeking such products.
43	43	14 SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
44	44	15section 3 the following section:-
45	45	16 Section 3A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
46	46	17meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
47	47	18 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
48	48	19but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
49	49	20 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
50	50	21 (b) Every primary and secondary school shall provide disposable menstrual products at
51	51	22no cost to students. The disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner
52	52	23that does not stigmatize the individual seeking such products, including, but not limited to, in
53	53	24restrooms for menstruating individuals.
54	54	25 SECTION 3. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
55	55	26following section:-
56	56	27 Section 170. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
57	57	28meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
58	58	29 “Administrator”, the keeper of a lock-up facility under chapter 40, the superintendent of a
59	59	30correctional facility under chapter 125, a sheriff or special sheriff in charge of a jail, house of
60	60	31correction or regional lock-up facility under chapter 126, the colonel of state police and any other 3 of 3
61	61	32official who oversees a facility used for the detention of persons arrested and held in custody or
62	62	33serving a sentence.
63	63	34 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
64	64	35but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
65	65	36 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
66	66	37 (b) The administrator shall provide disposable menstrual products to menstruating
67	67	38individuals held or housed in the facility overseen by the administrator at no cost. The disposable
68	68	39menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize the
69	69	40individual seeking such products.