| R 321 |
| 2026 -- S 3279 Enacted 05/12/2026 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| SUPPORTING "PERIOD POVERTY AWARENESS WEEK" ON MAY 11-17, 2026, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senators Kallman, Lawson, Euer, Quezada, Ujifusa, Gallo, Murray, Sosnowski, and DiMario |
| Date Introduced: May 12, 2026 |
| 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, which was an important 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 two in five menstruators in the State report struggling to afford 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, Period Poverty Awareness Week, observed May 11-17, 2026, was created |
| by the Alliance for Period Supplies, a national network of nonprofit organizations working to |
| ensure that individuals in need have access to essential period products required to fully partake |
| in the activities of daily living, and to raise awareness about period poverty and its impacts; and |
| WHEREAS, Amenity Aid, Rhode Island's only hygiene bank and one of the largest in the |
| country, represents the State within the Alliance for Period Supplies and provides essential |
| hygiene products to those in need through partnerships with ten social service agencies across the |
| State, helping ensure all individuals can participate fully in daily life; and |
| WHEREAS, Hygiene insecurity and period poverty are equity issues that |
| disproportionately affect marginalized communities and people of color, and there are currently |
| no government assistance programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) |
| or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) that address this widespread need; 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 11-17, 2026, 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 Amenity Aid, Period Equity at Brown |
| University, and the Rhode Island Foundation. |
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| LC006226 |
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