B 24-0158 — Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2021

ENGROSSEDENROLLED ORIGINAL AAN BILLACT 3____________ 24-158 5 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 7 ________________________ 9 To require District of Columbia local education agencies, private schools, the University of the District of Columbia, private universities and colleges, and vocational schools to install and maintain dispensers or similar receptacles of free-for-use period products in women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms and to require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to develop and implement health education standards on menstrual education designed for all students regardless of gender in District of Columbia Public Schools and District of Columbia public charter schools beginning in grade 44. and regardless of gender.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2021”.2022”.

(1) “LEA”“DCPS” means localthe educationagency agency,established whichby issection the102 Districtby ofthe Columbia Public SchoolsEducation system,Reform anAmendment individualAct or a group of public2007, chartereffective schoolsJune operating12, under2007 a(D.C. single charter.

(2)Law “Period17-9; products” means a tampon, a sanitary pad, or liner.

D.C.

Official Code § 38-171) (2) “LEA” means a local education agency, which is the District of Columbia Public Schools system or an individual or a group of public charter schools operating under a single charter.

(3) “OSSE” means the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

(4) “Period products” means a tampon, a sanitary pad, or liner.

ENGROSSED ORIGINAL (A) Each women’s and gender-neutral bathroom in every middle school and high school;

ENROLLED ORIGINAL (2) If a school building does not have a gender-neutral bathroom, then the period products shall also be available in at least one men’s bathroom.

(b) The University of the District of ColumbiaColumbia, (“UDC”), private universities and colleges, and vocational schools shall:

(1) Install at least one dispenser or similar container for period products in every women’s and gender-neutral bathroom.bathroom;

and (2) Stock every dispenser or similar container with sufficient period products to serve the needs of students at all times throughout the calendar year.

(c) Period products required to be made available pursuant to this section shall be free of cost.charge.

(d) In consultation with the District of Columbia Department of Health, theOSSE Office of the State Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”) shall develop an 8.5”8.5 xinch 11”by 11 inch sign that includes ENGROSSED ORIGINAL medically accurate information on the safe use and disposal of menstrual products.

(1) Placed near each dispenser or similar container.container for period products;

and (2) Made available for downloading in PDF format on the OSSE website.

(e) Each LEA, private school, the UDC,University of the District of Columbia, private college or university, and vocational school shall install the dispensers or similar containers required by this actsection within one year after the effective date of this act.

(a)(a)(1) In consultation with the State Board of Education, theOSSE Office of the State Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”) shall develop and implement health education standards on menstrual education designed for all studentsstudents, regardless of gender, in DCPS schools and District of Columbia Charterpublic Schools,charter schools, beginning in grade 44. and regardless of gender.

(1)(2) The overarching vision of the health education standards shall be to ensure that students in the District of Columbia schools shall have the information, support, and enablingenabling-school school environment to manage menstruation with dignity, safety, and comfort.

(2)(3) The health education standards shall include information on the menstrual cycle, premenstrual syndrome and pain management, menstrual hygiene management, menstrual disorders, menstrual irregularities, menopause, and other relevant topics relating to the menstrual cycle.

ENGROSSED ORIGINAL (b) OSSE shall implement the health education standards required by this section within one year of the effective date of this act.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL Sec.

______________________________ Chairman Council of the District of Columbia _________________________________ Mayor District of Columbia 3