Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2023

Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2023

This bill expands access to menstrual products through federal programs, in certain locations, and for particular groups. It also prohibits states and localities from taxing retail sales of a range of menstrual products (e.g., sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups).

The bill expands access to that range of menstrual products by

• requiring Medicaid to cover those products,
• establishing a grant program in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to provide benefits to ensure access to those products, and
• increasing Social Services Block Grant funding for providing those products to low-income individuals and exempting that increase from sequestration (a process of automatic, usually across-the-board cancellations of budgetary resources to enforce specific budget policy goals).

Additionally, the bill sets out requirements to make free sanitary napkins and tampons available in federal and state correctional facilities (including Department of Homeland Security detention facilities) and restrooms in federal buildings that are open to the public.

Further, the bill (1) establishes a grant program to support the provision of free sanitary napkins and tampons on campuses of institutions of higher education, and (2) permits elementary and secondary schools to use certain grants to provide sanitary napkins and tampons to students.

In addition, the bill requires employers with at least 100 employees to provide free sanitary napkins and tampons for employees.

It also permits the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to provide sanitary napkins and tampons to homeless individuals.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov