On May 17, 2023, the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill requiring schools to provide free period products to students in grades 4-12!
The law officially went into effect on January 1, 2024. Minnesota school districts will receive state funding that amounts to approximately $2 per pupil for the school year to help pay for the period products.
HF 44 is included as part of a larger education spending package. In addition, the state passed a higher education package that extends the same requirement and additional funding to colleges and universities to provide free period products.
Minnesota is one of 28 states that currently require schools to provide free period products, although not all of those states provide funding for schools to purchase the products.
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Step 1: Tell us a bit about your school! 🏫
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Student Advocacy and Bill Sponsorship
At the forefront of this bill are the countless Minnesota students who continued pushing the legislation forward. Advocates credit these students for sharing their stories, speaking out publicly, and pressing lawmakers to address the issue of period poverty.
The student movement around this bill has been an inspiration. Watching students come in and share their stories … it just shows a level of bravery and commitment that I don’t remember having when I was their age.
Rep. Sandra Feist, DFL- New Brighton, the chief sponsor of the bill
Along with Rep. Feist, other sponsors of the bill include Sen. Mary Kunesh, Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, and Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn sponsored the original bill in the 2019-2020 legislative session, which didn’t pass until Minnesota’s most recent session.
