The Senate today passed HB389 by Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-Plantation) and Representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton),which allows school districts to make menstrual hygiene products available to girls in schools, at no cost. Available products may be located in the school nurses’ office, other school facilities for health services, and in restrooms within each school, including wheelchair accessible restrooms. The legislation is now headed to the governor’s desk and is expected to be signed.
“25% of girls have missed school because they did not have access to menstrual products,” says Representative Skidmore. “By passing this bill today, we are letting our students know that we take their educational success seriously and will not allow the lack of access to tampons and pads to be an obstacle anymore.”
Florida has the 4th largest school system in the country with a total student population close to 3,000,000 students, meaning that approximately 1.5 million students are potentially affected by lack of access to period products. This is exacerbated by the fact that 23% of Florida’s students are living below the poverty line and 50% qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The bill also encourages that school districts partner with nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and other entities to assist in supplying and maintaining menstrual hygiene products.
“Together we can work to end the period poverty crisis facing too many of Florida’s students,” says Leader Book. “Basic hygiene should never be considered a luxury in the United States of America.”
