California Schools Provide Free Menstrual Products Under New Mandate

Public schools all over California will be required to provide free menstrual products in their restrooms by the start of the 2022-2023 school year due to Assembly Bill No.367, a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on October, 8, 2021.

The new bill expands on a previous bill from 2017 requiring only low-income schools to provide the products. Although the new law does not include private educational institutions, it strongly urges them to adopt these new requirements.

“California recognizes that access to menstrual products is a basic human right and is vital for ensuring the health, dignity, and full participation of all Californians in public life,” states the new bill. Advocacy group PERIOD agrees stating, “Menstrual equity is a matter of human rights.”

In 2019, dispensers filled with menstrual products were installed into all restrooms at Preuss.