By Melanie German
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. Assembly Bill No.367, also known as the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2021, was approved by Governor Newsom on October 08, 2021. This bill will require public schools maintaining any combination of classes from grades 6 to 12 on or the start of the 2022-23 school year, inclusive, to stock school restrooms with a sufficient supply of free menstrual products. These products are available and accessible and free of cost in all women’s restrooms and in all-gender restrooms, as well as in at least one men’s restroom.
This bill will also require the California State University and every community college district , and encourages the Regents of the University of California and private universities, colleges, and institutions of higher learning, to stock their restrooms with supply of free menstrual products as well. These products will also be free at cost at no fewer than one designated and accessible central location on each campus and to post a designated notice, as provided.
California has an interest in promoting gender equity, not only for women and girls, but also for transgender men, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people who may also menstruate and experience inequities resulting from lack of access to menstrual products. Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia stated in her legislation “Just as toilet paper and paper towels are provided in virtually every public bathrooms, so should menstrual products”.
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