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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1171 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1381
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Patricia D. Jehlen
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patricia D. JehlenSecond MiddlesexRebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex1/23/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/24/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/26/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex1/26/2023Michael J. BarrettThird Middlesex1/26/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/30/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk1/31/2023Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth1/31/2023Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth2/1/2023Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/2/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/3/2023Manny Cruz7th Essex2/7/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/8/2023Lydia EdwardsThird Suffolk2/13/2023John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/14/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/16/2023 2 of 2
Adam GomezHampden2/23/2023Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk3/8/2023 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1171 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1381
By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1381) of Patricia D. Jehlen, Rebecca
L. Rausch, Jack Patrick Lewis, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the General Court
for legislation to increase access to disposable menstrual products. Public Health.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2730 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 31. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
4meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
5 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
6but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
7 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
8 (b) Any provider of temporary housing assistance, including, but not be limited to, a
9family shelter, a shelter for adults, a hotel used for emergency shelter, an emergency apartment, a 2 of 3
10domestic violence shelter, a runaway and homeless youth shelter or a safe house for refugees,
11shall provide disposable menstrual products at no cost to a menstruating individual. The
12disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize
13the individual seeking such products.
14 SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
15section 3 the following section:-
16 Section 3A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
17meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
18 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
19but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
20 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
21 (b) Every primary and secondary school shall provide disposable menstrual products at
22no cost to students. The disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner
23that does not stigmatize the individual seeking such products, including, but not limited to, in
24restrooms for menstruating individuals.
25 SECTION 3. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
26following section:-
27 Section 170. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
28meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
29 “Administrator”, the keeper of a lock-up facility under chapter 40, the superintendent of a
30correctional facility under chapter 125, a sheriff or special sheriff in charge of a jail, house of 3 of 3
31correction or regional lock-up facility under chapter 126, the colonel of state police and any other
32official who oversees a facility used for the detention of persons arrested and held in custody or
33serving a sentence.
34 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including,
35but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners.
36 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates.
37 (b) The administrator shall provide disposable menstrual products to menstruating
38individuals held or housed in the facility overseen by the administrator at no cost. The disposable
39menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize the
40individual seeking such products.