R 312
2025 -- S 1079
Enacted 05/15/2025

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
SUPPORTING "PERIOD POVERTY AWARENESS WEEK" ON MAY 12-18, 2025, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators Kallman, Lauria, Quezada, Valverde, DiMario, Vargas, Gallo, Gu, Sosnowski, and Urso

Date Introduced: May 15, 2025

     WHEREAS, The United Nations has recognized access to menstrual hygiene and care as
a global public health priority and human rights issue; and
     WHEREAS, In 2019, Rhode Island passed legislation eliminating the tax on period
supplies, a step in the right direction; however, there continues to exist negative financial, social,
educational, and medical ramifications for many women and girls, particularly those living in
poverty; and
     WHEREAS, More than thirteen percent of Rhode Island women live below the Federal
Poverty Line and often struggle to purchase period products due to their or their family’s lack of
income; and
     WHEREAS, In the United States, one in three teenaged young women have missed a
class due to a lack of access to adequate period supplies, and two in five menstruators struggle to
purchase period products; and
     WHEREAS, For women and girls who live below the Federal Poverty Line, there is often
a no-win choice between paying for food or period products, and has too often resulted in the use
of alternate unsanitary practices and products putting their health at risk; and
     WHEREAS, In addition, during menstruation, women are often forced to disrupt their
regular activity, resulting in missed work, missed opportunities, negative effects on their self-
esteem, and social stigma; and
     WHEREAS, Adequate availability, dignity, and justice is deserved and must be inherent
to solving Period Poverty and menstrual social stigma in Rhode Island and across the globe; now,
therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby memorializes “Period
Poverty Awareness Week” on May 12th - 18th, 2025, and supports the global effort to raise
awareness about the need for period products to be more accessible and affordable, to break the
stigma of menstruation, and efforts to advocate for policy and funding to make these goals a
reality; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Quinn Coleman, Service Director, Period
Equity at Brown University, Amenity Aid in Warwick, and the Rhode Island Foundation.
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