Free Menstrual Products to Students

Beginning July 1, 2025, local education providers are required to provide free menstrual products in at least half of applicable school buildings in bathrooms that are accessible to students enrolled in sixth through twelfth grade who menstruate, except for a small rural school district and a local education provider with only one applicable school building.

Beginning July 1, 2026, all local education providers, facility schools, and the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind are required to provide free menstrual products to students in applicable school buildings in bathrooms that are accessible to students enrolled in sixth through twelfth grade who menstruate.

The bill expands eligibility for the menstrual hygiene products accessibility grant program (grant program) to make any local education provider eligible for a grant award and requires the department of education (department) to prioritize awards to certain applicants if the demand exceeds the amount appropriated for the grant program.

For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $400,000 to the grant program. The bill allows the department to retain up to 5% of any appropriation on actual administrative costs for the grant program and allows grant awards to be used to acquire a dispensing machine or disposal receptacle for menstrual hygiene products.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)