Updated 5/20/2024
On August 23, 2023, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy officially signed A1349/S1221!
A1349/S1221 establishes a funded program in the Department of Education to provide period products in public schools, free of cost.
The Fiscal Year 2025 budget details were released on March 13, 2024, including a $3.5 million appropriation request for the Menstrual Products School Reimbursement Program.
Important Features of This Bill:
- Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, schools with grades 6-12 must offer free period products (pads and tampons) in at least 50% of their female and gender-neutral bathrooms.
- The state will be responsible for any costs incurred by the school district in providing an adequate supply of period products to ensure the needs of students are met.
Implementation Guide
On May 1, 2024, the New Jersey Department of Education released a handy implementation guide packed with information relating to the bill.
Reimbursement Process
The application for menstrual product reimbursement will be available through the New Jersey Department of Education’s homepage on or about July 1, 2024. Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2025. Districts should submit one reimbursement request for their total expenditures incurred for this program during the 2024-2025 school year. Once a district submits a completed application and required documentation showing the amount of expenditures, the Department will review and approve eligible reimbursements.
Considerations for Providing Access to Free Menstrual Products in Public Schools
The NJDOE’s memo also includes a list of considerations to help guide districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects (collectively “districts”) regarding the implementation of these new requirements:
- Engage the whole school community
- Districts should consider including students, faculty, staff, and other community members when designing and implementing the program.
- All staff members should receive an overview of the policy and professional learning opportunities to further their understanding of menstrual equity and adherence to the new policy.
- Create equitable access
- Ensure that multiple bathrooms, including all-gender bathrooms, are accessible to students during the school day as well as during after-school activities and special events. This may require additional bathrooms to be opened or renovated.
- Students should be allowed to use the bathroom as needed and should not be penalized for bathroom breaks, nor should students need to disclose that they need to use the bathroom to obtain or use period products.
- Period products should be available in a variety of sizes and absorbency levels to accommodate all students’ needs. Both pads and tampons must be offered.
- Ensure continuous access
- Schools have many options for delivering menstrual products to students and do not necessarily need to install dispensers. They may instead opt for a countertop basket, storage drawer, or other method in bathrooms.
- Additional products should be available from trusted adults in the school, such as nurses and counselors. To help reduce stigma, signs should be posted in bathrooms and hallways so students know where they can procure menstrual products. Schools may consider including this information in their school handbook.
Aunt Flow celebrates the state of New Jersey in its efforts to combat period poverty in schools by passing A1349/S1221.
At Aunt Flow we ask, ‘If toilet paper is offered for free, why aren’t tampons and pads?® We are thrilled that New Jersey has officially joined the Menstrual Movement, ensuring access to students across the state. Aunt Flow is proud to support 750+ schools across the U.S. that stock their bathrooms with Aunt Flow’s organic cotton period products, and now, we’re ready for New Jersey.
Claire Coder, Founder & CEO Aunt Flow
What New Jersey Schools Already Provide Aunt Flow?
GOOD NEWS: There are a number of New Jersey schools that have already implemented Aunt Flow, such as Hoboken Public School District, Collingswood Public Schools, Newton Public Schools and Briar Academy.
New Jersey will now be joining the more than TWENTY states that have laws or policies advancing menstrual equity in its public schools, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
