This just in: Nevada has passed legislation to make menstrual products available in some Nevada public and charter schools. Nevada AB224 puts responsibility on the school district (in the case of a public school) or the school’s governing body (of a charter school) that operates as a middle school, junior high school or high school to “ensure that menstrual products are provided at no cost to pupils in the bathrooms of each middle school, junior high school and high school in the school district or charter school.”
The bill got rid of the gendered “feminine hygiene” products language, but does not seem to require the products in all bathrooms — only “women’s” bathrooms. So gender non-binary, trans and other kids are left out.
Furthermore, the bill requires products only in the 25% of schools in the district with the highest number of students receiving free or reduced-cost lunches (a common measure used in similar bills in other states). There’s a study commission to investigate the need for the program in other schools.
Let’s hope availability expands. Let’s hope that the program gets funded, too.
H/T Francine Lipman
