There soon will be one less thing to worry about for k-12 students who menstruate. Their pads and tampons will be provided for them at no cost. House Bill 3294 – also known as the Menstrual Dignity Act – was passed and signed this most recent legislative session.
There soon will be one less It all started with Senate Bills 717 and 521, which were voted in to assist menstruating people with getting the products they need in an effort to end of period poverty through providing them with additional SNAP benefits and prohibiting “commercial activity tax” on pads and tampons.
According to a study done by Thinkx and PERIOD, “the inability to access menstrual hygiene products has jumped to nearly a quarter of all students.” This is up from 20% of all students in 2019. Their research also showed that 65% of people feel that society teaches them to be afraid of their periods, and that people of color are more likely to be affected by the issue.
The bill had support from the Oregon Food Bank as well as Partners for a Hunger-free Oregon, acknowledging the fact that many have had to choose between hygiene products and food or clothing.
Oregon schools are currently working through the details of how to best implement this program.
By Sally K Lehman
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