Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston) wants to put tampons in high school and middle school boys’ bathrooms with a new bill that would require free menstrual products in public school restrooms, even for male students who do not menstruate.
The bill, LD 155, drew support from nine Democratic co-sponsors and will be considered in the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.
The bill instructs Maine School Administrative Districts (MSAD) to provide menstrual products in all school restrooms in any schools with students from 6th to 12th grade, regardless of the gender designation of the bathroom.
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In effect, by applying the rules to every bathroom and regardless of the practical need for menstrual products, the bill would supply 11-year-old boys with tampons at the expense of taxpayers.
The Maine Wire reached out to Rep. Cloutier, asking why she believes it is necessary for menstrual products to be placed in boys’ restrooms, but she did not respond.
Currently, there is no fiscal note attached to indicate how much the program will cost taxpayers, and no public hearings or work sessions have been scheduled.
This isn’t the first time Cloutier has led an effort by Maine Democrats to equip middle school and high school boys with tampons.
In the last session of the legislature, Cloutier proposed similar legislation. According to the fiscal note for that item, the tampon availability measure would cost taxpayers $273,000 each year.
The bill comes as Maine’s schools have faced national scrutiny, and the state’s Department of Education (DOE) already faces a loss of federal funding for violating President Donald Trump’s order intended to stop biological males from competing in women’s sports, and the state faces a half billion dollar budget deficit.
