That the Somerville City Council supports the passage of H.1255, An Act requiring menstrual products in buildings on public higher education campuses, H.3018 An Act requiring menstrual products in all state buildings, and S.2481, An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.

WHEREAS: The City of Somerville is committed to fostering equity and building a more inclusive community; and WHEREAS: Lack of access to menstrual products is an issue of gender equity and is a major obstacle to safe and healthy environments in school, at work, and in housing; and WHEREAS: According to a 2019 survey by Mass NOW, 25% of Massachusetts homeless shelters do not provide menstrual products and more than half of school nurses reported seeing students miss school due to a lack of access to menstrual products; and WHEREAS: According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and the Massachusetts Continuums of Care, 34,579 people in Massachusetts experienced homelessness in 2022; and WHEREAS: The most recent data indicates that there are more than 740,000 people living in poverty in Massachusetts, and roughly 1 in 7 children struggles to afford menstrual products; and WHEREAS: The average person who menstruates can expect to spend over $18,000 on menstrual products throughout their lifetime; and WHEREAS: The Massachusetts legislature is considering three bills which would significantly increase access to menstrual products for students, people experiencing homelessness, and people who are incarcerated, including requiring availability of free menstrual products on the campuses of institutions of higher learning and in state buildings; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Somerville City Council supports the passage of H.1255, An Act requiring menstrual products in buildings on public higher education campuses, H.3018 An Act requiring menstrual products in all state buildings, and S.2481, An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products.