New law requires private middle, high schools provide free menstrual products

Private schools in New York will have to offer free menstrual products in middle and high school restrooms, under a bill signed Sunday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Since July 2018, public middle and high schools in the state have been required to provide menstrual products for free in restrooms.

The bill is part of a Health Equity and Opportunity package approved by the State Legislature earlier this year that also commemorates March 8 as International Women’s Day and requires education and testing for cosmetologists to include all hair types and textures. The law goes into effect July 1.

The measure also changes the term “feminine hygiene” products and replaces it with “menstrual” products.

“We know now more than ever before the positive impact inclusivity has on communities, and in New York we’re taking the steps to ensure equity for all from healthcare to haircare,” Hochul said in a statement. “From simply updating the way certain products are referred to, to expanding access to vital resources for those who may need them most, as time progresses, so should our laws.”

Many teens and women cannot afford proper supplies of menstrual products, a growing trend known as “period poverty.” Experts say this can lead to lost days at school and work.

There is also a health risk if women use menstrual products for longer than recommended. Almost one-quarter of teens and one-third of adults struggle to afford menstrual products, according to State of the Period 2023, a study commissioned by the brand Thinx Inc. and the advocacy group Period.

The report showed 44% of teens had “stress and embarrassment” due to lack of access to menstrual products. Respondents also said there is better access to menstrual products in most public spaces and finding more free products in school bathrooms.

There have also been efforts on Long Island to include free menstrual products at more food pantries so they are more accessible to people who need them.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.