ANA-Ohio joins the ‘No-Cost Period Products Coalition’
Senators Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Stephanie Kunze (R-Dublin) worked together to amend Ohio’s state budget bill (HB 33). Their amendment included a provision that makes menstrual products available and accessible in all Ohio schools that enroll girls from grades 6– 12.
(L to R-County Commissioner Denise Driehaus, Sen. Nickie Antonio, and Sen. Stephanie Kunze)
ANA-Ohio became a member of the No-Cost Period Product coalition that also included the Ohio Chapter of the American College of OB/GYNs, Girl Scout troops, the Junior League of Cleveland, the Hamilton County Commission on Women and Girls, and others. Members of the coalition, Including ANA-Ohio, were invited to the press conference the bill’s legislative supporters and proponents conducted at the statehouse to mark the successful enactment of the proposal.
The bill, as passed, appropriated $2 million in fiscal year 2024 for the installation of feminine hygiene products in school buildings and $3 million for purchasing the products. Hamilton County Commissioner, Denise Driehaus, explained that the cost of these
products can be unaffordable for many girls, which results in school absences, embarrassment, and the health risks associated with improper use of menstrual products. Nearly 1 in 5 girls have missed school because they don’t have access to period products.
The period products initiative was also championed by Cincinnati high school student Kinsey Sullivan, who described how awkward girls feel when they have to “slide a pad up their sleeves to walk to the bathroom. Having these products available in public restrooms will improve girls’ mental health and overall confidence,” she said.
The provision becomes effective October 1st with the products becoming more readily available before the upcoming school year ends, predicted Sen. Antonio.
