Health Care

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the extent of state reimbursement or the exact cost of the public health campaign.

Tennessee Act for Free Feminine Hygiene Products in Schools

This act requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to provide free feminine hygiene products in women's and girls' bathrooms used by students from grades four through twelve, with state reimbursement.

What This Bill Does

• Makes it mandatory for LEAs and public charter schools to offer free feminine hygiene products in designated school facilities regularly used by students in grades four through twelve.
• Requires the state to reimburse LEAs and public charter schools for the cost of providing these products.
• Directs the Department of Health to collaborate with the State Board of Education and other agencies to create a campaign encouraging donations of feminine hygiene products to eligible schools.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local education agencies (LEAs) in Tennessee
• Public charter schools in Tennessee
• Students from grades four through twelve

Terms To Know

Local Education Agency (LEA)

An agency responsible for providing public education within a specific area.

Public Charter School

A publicly funded school that operates independently of the local school district under a charter agreement.

Limits and Unknowns

• The exact cost and extent of the Department of Health’s public health campaign are not clearly defined.
• The bill does not specify how much state funding will be needed beyond the initial estimates provided.

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes
LEA
s
to provide feminine hygiene products, at no
charge, in all women's and girl's bathrooms and locker rooms in a public high school that is eligible to participate in the community eligibility provision under the national school lunch program, excluding any bathrooms and locker rooms specifically desi
g
nated for teacher or staff use. The feminine hygiene products are for student use only.

This bill makes the provision of feminine hygiene products mandatory, extends such requirements to public charter schools, specifies that the requirement applies to
w
omen's and girl's bathrooms

regularly used by students in grades four through 12
, and requires the
state
to
reimburse each LEA and public charter school that provides feminine hygiene products pursuant to this
bill
in an amount equal to the cost of the pro
ducts paid by the LEA or public charter school.
This bill also requires the
department of health
to
collaborate with the state board of education, and other state agencies as the department deems appropriate, to create a public health campaign dedicated t
o encouraging individuals and nonprofit organizations to contribute or drop off feminine hygiene products to eligible schools.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1107
By Salinas

SENATE BILL 573
By Kyle

SB0573
002597
- 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, Section 49-6-417(a)(1), is amended by
deleting "public high school" and substituting instead "public school, including a public charter
school,".
SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. 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.

- 2 - 002597

SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.