Public Health and Higher Education

The New Jersey Senate voted 38–0 on Feb. 24 to advance a "menstrual equity" bill requiring every public college and university in the state to provide free menstrual products to students. Sponsored by Democratic Sens. Angela V. McKnight and Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, the legislation directs each institution’s president to create a menstrual equity task force that must, within six months of the law taking effect, assess student demand, identify distribution locations, estimate costs and set a timeline. Colleges would then be required to implement their plans within 12 months, effectively building menstrual products into campus services the way many schools now treat condoms or basic health supplies. Supporters frame the measure as a way to combat "period poverty" that forces low‑income students to choose between essentials like food and menstrual products and say it disproportionately affects students of color. The bill aligns New Jersey with a growing number of states that have moved to require free menstrual products in K‑12 schools and on campuses, adding pressure on other legislatures and university systems that have so far left access to ad‑hoc charity or student fees.