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A00347 Summary:

A00347 Actions:

A00347 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A347
 
SPONSOR: Rosenthal

 
TITLE OF BILL:
 
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to feminine hygiene
product access in schools
 
 
PURPOSE:
 
This bill establishes a pilot program through which tampons and similar
feminine hygiene products will be made available at no charge to all
middle and high school students in school districts within fifteen
selected low-income municipalities across the state.
 
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
 
Section one amends the public health law by adding a new section 2507.

Section two sets forth the effective date.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Access to tampons, sanitary napkins, and similar feminine hygiene
products is necessary to ensure that menstruating students can attend
classes and participate in extracurricular activities without inter-
ruption. No student should face any barrier, financial or otherwise, to
accessing basic feminine hygiene products. Condoms are often available
free of charge at high schools and middle schools, feminine care
products are no less important to student wellbeing.
 
This legislation creates a pilot program through which tampons and simi-
lar feminine hygiene products will be made available free of charge to
middle and high school students within selected school districts with
the highest child poverty rates.
 
Upon conclusion of the pilot program, a report will be provided to the
Legislature outlining the costs associated with the program, the total
number of feminine products distributed, and other information that will
be used to assess the program with the goal of expanding the program to
include all schools across New York State.
 
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
2015-16: A.10239 - Reported to Ways and Means
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
 
Undetermined.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.

A00347 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                           347
 
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     January 5, 2017
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
          Committee on Health
 
        AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  feminine  hygiene
          product access in schools
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
     2  2508 to read as follows:
     3    § 2508. Feminine hygiene product access in schools. 1. The commission-
     4  er  shall  establish  a  demonstration  program to provide free feminine
     5  hygiene products in fifteen low income areas  throughout  the  state  in
     6  accordance  with  this section. The commissioner may utilize public-pri-
     7  vate partnerships to provide such feminine hygiene products  or  funding
     8  therefor.
     9    2.  The commissioner shall identify fifteen municipalities, outside of
    10  a city with a population of one million or more, that have  the  highest
    11  child  poverty  rates  in the state. The commissioner shall use the most
    12  up-to-date census data available in selecting such municipalities.
    13    3. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner  of  educa-
    14  tion,  shall work with school districts in the municipalities identified
    15  in accordance with subdivision two of this section to provide free femi-
    16  nine hygiene products to be accessible to all  middle  and  high  school
    17  students in each district. Such amount may be adjusted from time to time
    18  based  on  utilization.  The commissioner, the commissioner of education
    19  and the school districts shall work to ensure that such  products  shall
    20  be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize any student
    21  seeking such products.
    22    4.  The  commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of educa-
    23  tion, shall report to the speaker of  the  assembly  and  the  temporary
    24  president  of  the senate within fifteen months of the implementation of
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01787-02-7
        A. 347                              2
 
     1  such demonstration  program,  and  annually  thereafter,  the  following
     2  information:
     3    (a) the total cost to the state of the program;
     4    (b)  the  total private contribution, if any, including a breakdown of
     5  monetary and product donation;
     6    (c) the total number of feminine hygiene products provided  to  school
     7  districts,  and an assessment of whether or not such amount was adequate
     8  to serve the female students in such districts; and
     9    (d) any other information the commissioner deems necessary.
    10    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.