Text of MA S 1381 (2023)

1 of 2 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. Jehlen Second Middlesex Rebecca L. Rausch Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1/23/2023 Jack Patrick Lewis 7th Middlesex 1/24/2023 Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. 12th Hampden 1/26/2023 Thomas M. Stanley 9th Middlesex 1/26/2023 Michael J. Barrett Third Middlesex 1/26/2023 Sal N. DiDomenico Middlesex and Suffolk 1/30/2023 Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 1/31/2023 Mark C. Montigny Second Bristol and Plymouth 1/31/2023 Kathleen R. LaNatra 12th Plymouth 2/1/2023 Jacob R. Oliveira Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester 2/2/2023 Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 2/2/2023 Brian M. Ashe 2nd Hampden 2/3/2023 Manny Cruz 7th Essex 2/7/2023 James K. Hawkins 2nd Bristol 2/8/2023 Lydia Edwards Third Suffolk 2/13/2023 John F. Keenan Norfolk and Plymouth 2/14/2023 James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 2/16/2023 2 of 2 Adam Gomez Hampden 2/23/2023 Liz Miranda Second Suffolk 3/8/2023 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 2 following section:- 3 Section 31. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 4 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 5 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 6 but 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 9 family shelter, a shelter for adults, a hotel used for emergency shelter, an emergency apartment, a 2 of 3 10 domestic violence shelter, a runaway and homeless youth shelter or a safe house for refugees, 11 shall provide disposable menstrual products at no cost to a menstruating individual. The 12 disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize 13 the individual seeking such products. 14 SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 15 section 3 the following section:- 16 Section 3A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 17 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:- 18 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 19 but 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 22 no cost to students. The disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner 23 that does not stigmatize the individual seeking such products, including, but not limited to, in 24 restrooms for menstruating individuals. 25 SECTION 3. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 26 following section:- 27 Section 170. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 28 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 29 “Administrator”, the keeper of a lock-up facility under chapter 40, the superintendent of a 30 correctional facility under chapter 125, a sheriff or special sheriff in charge of a jail, house of 3 of 3 31 correction or regional lock-up facility under chapter 126, the colonel of state police and any other 32 official who oversees a facility used for the detention of persons arrested and held in custody or 33 serving a sentence. 34 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 35 but 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 38 individuals held or housed in the facility overseen by the administrator at no cost. The disposable 39 menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize the 40 individual seeking such products.