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Ending Period Poverty; MO Lawmaker Advocating For Free Feminine Care Items In School Bathrooms

“Period poverty”; it’s a issue that State Representative Martha Stevens of Columbia wants to end in Missouri’s public and charter schools. The democrat would like to see schools stock their bathrooms with pads and tampons at no cost students. Stevens says research shows one in five menstruating teens struggle to afford period products or are not able to buy them at all.

“Well, I think it’s something that is not openly discussed. It’s not a topic that is commonly discussed. There’s a stigma around it. Students might feel embarrassed about it that their families aren’t able to afford those things.”

Stevens also reiterates this about helping students not have to miss school.

“Really this also is an issue around helping those students meet those basic needs, but also to make sure that they are able to access the full scope of education and not miss class or school because of that.”

It’s estimated it would cost the state about a million bucks dollars, but some fiscal conservatives have taken issue with the government potentially digging into its checkbook.

Four states have passed similar measures requiring sanitary products in school bathrooms – California, New York, New Hampshire and Illinois.

Last year, the Legislature passed a bipartisan bill to provide feminine hygiene supplies in Missouri prisons.

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