Free menstrual products now required at all New Hampshire prisons and jails

House Bill 421 sought to close gaps in equitable access to menstrual products across the state’s incarceration system. (Dana Wormald | New Hampshire Bulletin)

New Hampshire’s prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities are now bound by state law to provide menstrual products at no cost to incarcerated individuals who biologically menstruate.

Signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu on Aug. 4, House Bill 421 sought to close gaps in equitable access to menstrual products across the state’s incarceration system.

While the state Department of Corrections has had a policy in place for at least 10 years to provide menstrual products free of charge, lawmakers cited concerns about county jails, which are not overseen by the state.

The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Ellen Read, a Newmarket Democrat, testified during the legislative session about instances of county-level inmates experiencing infections, such as toxic shock syndrome, and inadequate access to period products in a timely manner.

Under the new law, state prisons, county jails, and facilities housing juveniles must provide “sufficient menstrual hygiene products” to individuals in custody who biologically menstruate “at no cost to such persons.”

The law goes on to define sufficiency as a minimum of 20 standard issue products per menstrual cycle – tampons, menstrual bags, sanitary napkins, and panty liners – and individuals may request more based on their cycle.

“The number of menstrual hygiene products kept in a cell shall not be excessive so as not to create safety or security issues and shall only be used for the intended purpose,” the law reads.

by Hadley Barndollar, New Hampshire Bulletin August 11, 2023

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Hadley Barndollar covers climate, energy, environment, and the opioid crisis for the New Hampshire Bulletin. Previously, she was the New England regional reporter for the USA TODAY Network and was named Reporter of the Year by the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Email: [email protected]