By now, you’ve probably heard Minnesota Governor Tim Walz referred to as “Tampon Tim.”
Here’s what you need to know about the legislation behind the VP candidate’s newly coined nickname.
The Facts
On May 17, 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed HF44 into law requiring all Minnesota district and charter schools to provide free period products to students in grades 4-12! The bill officially went into effect on January 1, 2024.
The law states that Minnesota school districts will receive state funding, approximately $2 per pupil for the school year, to help pay for the period products.
The language in the Minnesota law does not say that products must be in both gendered restrooms – likely because schools can be configured so many different ways that it wouldn’t be helpful to write it like that. The exact language is that “products must be available to all menstruating people at no charge” and be stored in “restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12.” To me, this signifies that products are probably in all girl’s bathrooms and unisex ones. If a school chooses to put them in the boy’s restroom, that would be in keeping with the law.
Suzanne Herman, Legal Director at Period Law
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.
The Impact of HF 44
Nearly 1 in 4 students in the US struggle to afford period products. Period poverty impacts the ability of many students across Minnesota to get a quality education.
With its passage, this bill ensures access for the approximately 300,000 menstruating students in Minnesota.
The Benefits of Offering Free Period Products in Schools
- Increases attendance
- Improves the educational experience
- Reduces period stigma and shame
- Removes barriers to period product accessibility
- Alleviates financial burdens and stress
- Creates an inclusive learning environment
Minnesota Schools that Stock Aunt Flow
15 K-12 schools and districts have joined the Menstrual Movement with Aunt Flow, including:
- Minnetonka Public Schools
- New Millennium Academy
- Columbia Heights Public Schools
- Eden Prairie Schools
- Mankato East High School
- Morris Area Schools
