Health Care

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify details about the effectiveness of public health campaigns, so this is left as an open point.

Act for Free Diapers and Feminine Hygiene Products

This act requires the Tennessee Department of Health to provide free diapers to new mothers and working parents with children under two years old, and mandates local education agencies and public charter schools to supply free feminine hygiene products in certain school bathrooms.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the department of health to give out free diapers to new moms or working parents who have kids under two years old when they ask for them.
• Revises existing laws to require local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to offer free feminine hygiene products in women's bathrooms and locker rooms used by students from grades four through twelve.
• Requires the state to pay back LEAs and public charter schools for the cost of providing these feminine hygiene products.

Who It Names or Affects

• New mothers
• Working parents with children under two years old
• Local education agencies (LEAs)
• Public charter schools

Terms To Know

TennCare Medicaid Program

A state-run health insurance program for low-income individuals and families.

Cover Kids Program

A Tennessee program that provides free or low-cost health care to children who do not have other health coverage.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not apply to residents participating in the TennCare Medicaid Program or Cover Kids Program.
• Funding for diaper distribution is dependent on appropriations during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Official Summary Text

HYGIENE FOR MOTHERS

Subject to appropriations, this bill requires
the department of health to provide free diapers to a resident of this state who is a new mother or a working parent or guardian of a child less than two, upon the resident's request. However, this bill does not apply to (i) a resident or guardian of a r
e
sident child who participates in the state's free diaper program as a recipient of the TennCare medicaid program, or (ii) as an enrollee in the Cover Kids program. The department must display the instructions for requesting free diapers on its website.

This bill also requires the department of health to collaborate with the department of human services, and other state agencies as the department deems appropriate, to create a public health campaign dedicated to providing diapers to new mothers and worki
n
g parents or guardians using funds specifically appropriated for this purpose during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

HYGIENE FOR CHILDREN

Present law authorizes each local education agency (LEA) to provide feminine hygiene products, at no charge, in all wom
en's and girl's bathrooms and locker rooms in public high schools that are eligible to participate in the community eligibility provision under the national school lunch program, excluding any bathrooms specifically designated for teacher or staff use. T
h
is bill revises this provision to, instead, require each LEA and public charter school to provide such products and expands the definition of eligible schools to now include public schools in general, including public charter schools. Additionally, this
b
ill revises the above provision to now specify that these products must be provided in all women's and girl's bathrooms and locker rooms regularly used by students in grades four through 12.

This bill requires the state to reimburse each LEA and
public c
harter school that provides feminine hygiene products pursuant to this
bill
in an amount equal to the cost of the products paid by the LEA or public charter school.
Additionally, t
he department of health
must
collaborate with the state board of education,
and other state agencies as the department deems appropriate, to create a public health campaign dedicated to encouraging individuals and nonprofit organizations to contribute or drop off feminine hygiene products to eligible schools.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 143
By Kyle

SB0143
000093
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49;
Title 63; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to hygiene
products for women and children.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 1, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
68-1-2701. Subject to appropriations, the department of health shall provide free
diapers to a Tennessee resident who is a new mother or a working parent or guardian of a child
less than two (2) years old upon the resident's request. The department shall prominently
display on the department's website instructions for requesting free diapers. This section does
not apply to a resident or guardian of a resident child who participates in the state's free diaper
program as a recipient of the TennCare medicaid program or a successor to the program
provided for in the Medical Assistance Act of 1968, compiled in title 71, chapter 5, or as an
enrollee in the CoverKids program or a successor to the program provided for in the CoverKids
Act of 2006, compiled in title 71, chapter 3, part 11.
68-1-2702. The department of health shall collaborate with the department of human
services, and other state agencies as the department deems appropriate, to create a public
health campaign dedicated to providing diapers to new mothers and working parents or
guardians using funds specifically appropriated for this purpose during the 2025-2026 fiscal
year.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-417(a)(1), is amended by
deleting "public high school" and substituting instead "public school, including a public charter
school,".

- 2 - 000093

SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-417(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new, appropriately designated subdivision:
( ) "Public charter school" has the same meaning as defined in § 49-13-104;
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-417(b), is amended by deleting
"Each LEA is authorized to" and substituting instead "Each LEA and public charter school shall"
and by inserting "regularly used by students in grades four through twelve (4-12)" immediately
after "all women's and girl's bathrooms and locker rooms".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-417, is amended by adding the
following new subsections:
(c) The state shall reimburse each LEA and public charter school that provides
feminine hygiene products pursuant to this section in an amount equal to the cost of the
products paid by the LEA or public charter school pursuant to this section.
(d) The department of health shall collaborate with the state board of education,
and other state agencies as the department deems appropriate, to create a public health
campaign dedicated to encouraging individuals and nonprofit organizations to contribute
or drop off feminine hygiene products to eligible schools.
SECTION 6. Section 1 of this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare
requiring it. All other sections of this act take effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it,
and apply to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.