for some young girls the experience of getting their period each month can be mortifying young ladies who experience period poverty don't always have access to safe and effective menstrual products leaving them in uncomfortable and even sometimes dangerous situations Raven Santana reports on a new law aimed at preventing this problem in New Jersey schools it should it should just be as equal as men have it access to the products they need in a bathroom women need to always have these products assemblywoman shaunique Spate is talking about menstrual products speed is co-sponsor of the new Bill signed by Governor Murphy that would require school districts to provide free menstrual products to students in grades 6 through 12th in an effort to fight period poverty currently there is no law requiring it how do a young girl get the products the access to the products because what we want to make sure is equity access and not the shame and asking for the products as well according to a study by advocates it's called state of the period 2021 one in four students has struggled to afford paths or tampons and half wear them longer than they should risking infection or other diseases in order to save money lawmakers including Senator Teresa Ruiz say the legislation would have a direct impact on absenteeism it's not as if we're talking about something that we are selecting to right that it's a luxury purchase it's a necessity uh and you know stories of making decisions whether they were going to purchase food or clothing and or feminine hygiene products and so you know this is not unique to the state of New Jersey and to our school districts and to our families this is a national conversation that needs to be lifted up so that young people understand this is not something to be embarrassed about under the law eligible schools will be required to provide menstrual products in at least half of all their female and gender neutral bathrooms cost will be covered by the state the office of legislative Services estimates it will cost up to 3.5 million dollars for the school year raising your hand and telling the teacher that you need to go to the nurse it's not an illness it's a need going to the nurse missing school time this is inequity and it is about time that all menstruating students have the ability to access menstrual products vice president of advocacy for the National Council of Jewish Women Lori Khan showed us dispensers that were installed at Livingston Town Hall as part of their initiative and they're similar to the ones that will be installed in schools across the state often when we talk to male legislators they were like you mean when you go to the women's restroom there's no menstrual supplies there Anjali marota is the founder of equality period NJ an advocacy Coalition focused on menstrual equity for all the question on where and why this piece of legislation took so long um I think when we started out there was a thinking about there's being more about poverty legislation than really looking at it from a gender equality point of view marota stressed that the language in the bill is also key to eliminating stigma also very important for our coalition to make sure that the language is not stigmatizing that it is gentle neutral we are not presenting this um you know menstruation is a natural uh healthy bodily function we're not you know sending people to the nurse's office which is someplace that they go when they're sick the free products are expected to be rolled out next year when the law takes effect frenzy Spotlight news I'm Raven Santana [Music]