Tennessee Senate Bill SB0155

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/15/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 49 and Title 67, relative to the Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act.

Summary

SB0155 creates the “Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act” and requires each local education agency and public charter school to provide feminine hygiene products at no charge in specified locations at eligible schools. The bill defines an eligible school as a public senior high school, including public charter schools, and defines feminine hygiene products to include items such as tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups, sanitary napkins, and similar products. Products must be available in women’s and girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and with the school nurse, but not in bathrooms or locker rooms designated for teacher or staff use. The bill also authorizes the Department of Education to develop policies and guidance to help school systems and charter school governing bodies comply with the new requirements. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and is framed as a public welfare measure.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Section 49-6-417 and affect public school and public charter school operations by imposing a new student-access requirement for menstrual hygiene products in eligible high schools. It would create a statewide mandate for LEAs and charter schools to stock and provide these products at no charge in designated school facilities, while leaving implementation details and compliance guidance to the Department of Education. The bill does not create a general statewide distribution program outside schools, but it does require school-level provision and likely associated purchasing and stocking obligations for affected districts and charter operators.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests generally favorable committee sentiment, with the Senate Education Committee recommending passage with amendments by a 6-3 vote. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no direct record of debate, but the vote indicates majority support alongside a meaningful minority of opposition. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a student health and access measure with enough support to advance, though not without some disagreement.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on whether the state should require schools to provide free menstrual products, who should bear the cost, and whether the mandate should apply to all schools or only senior high schools. Another likely issue is the scope of access and placement of products, including the bill’s limitation to women’s and girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and school nurse locations, and the exclusion of staff-only facilities. The 6-3 committee vote indicates that while many lawmakers supported the measure as an accessibility and equity policy, a smaller group had reservations about the mandate or its implementation.