Senator Caroline Menjivar Introduces SB 953 - Period Equity Now

SACRAMENTO – Senator Caroline Menjivar (D- San Fernando Valley) introduced SB 953, Period Equity Now, to address the persistent and dangerous inequity of period poverty amongst Californians on Medi-Cal.

The Supplemental Report adopted in the 2023 Budget Act will help California move forward in addressing period poverty. SB 953 would move the needle even further by requiring the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to seek the necessary federal waiver to implement Medi-Cal coverage for menstrual products. By including menstrual products as a necessary medical device, menstruators who are also under Medi-Cal and struggling to purchase these products would be able to access them at no cost.

“We must take urgent action to remedy period poverty in California,” states Senator Caroline Menjivar. “While we have addressed this need in public schools and by prohibiting the pink tax, it continues to be a harmful burden for our most vulnerable communities. It is imperative that our next move is to obtain a waiver for those on Medi-Cal to get a basic need covered. Every person deserves equitable access to basic necessities. It’s time for California to protect the health and dignity of those shackled by period poverty.”

Period poverty continues to exist among our most vulnerable communities. According to the 2023 State of the Period poll, almost a quarter of teens and a third of adults continue to struggle to access period products. Research shows that the lack of access to menstrual products negatively impacts a menstruating person’s physical and mental health. The 2021 U by Kotex survey found that 47% of participants felt embarrassed, and 32% were depressed as a result. Some menstruators who lack access resort to unsafe practices, such as wearing their period products longer than the recommended time.

Cosponsors of SB 953 echo the lived experiences of many Californians: 

"As a woman attending community college who commutes between home and school, I've recognized the essential need for widespread access to menstrual products,” says Esmeralda Hernandez, Policy Manager, What We All Deserve. “Menstruators carry the financial burden of purchasing products related to our reproductive health, over which we have no control. By covering menstrual products in Medi-Cal, this bill affirms that access to menstrual products is healthcare and a basic human right. Especially considering the predominantly low-income and POC Medi-Cal recipient community, this would allow menstruators to focus on our education, career, and/or personal lives without the added stress of financial constraint from our basic health needs."

“IGNITE is proud to advocate for menstrual equity alongside Senator Menjivar,” says Jocelyn Yow, Legislative Advocacy Director, IGNITE National. “Menstrual equity plays an integral part in IGNITE's mission of fostering the next generation of political leaders. Menstrual products should be made accessible for everyone, and lack of products has detrimental impacts on the health and well-being of menstruators, including toxic shock syndrome, reproductive and urinary tract infections, and more. Without menstrual equity, which plays a huge role in reproductive health, people who menstruate are unable to actively participate in social or political spaces.”

Senator Menjivar and cosponsors of SB 953 respectfully urge California legislators and Governor Newsom to ensure Period Equity Now.

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