Representative Willner was joined by guests from advocacy groups across the state as she announced her plans to combat gender inequality through House Bill 148, which proposes to end what speakers referred to as “the pink tax." The act also seeks an appropriation of 2 million dollars yearly to fund the placement of free menstrual hygiene products in middle and high school bathrooms.
Willner says one in four Kentuckians who need menstrual products have struggled to access them, and calls the extra economic burden affecting over half of the population a “fundamental injustice."
"To compound the issue, Kentucky is now in the minority of states that still profit from menstruation by taxing medically necessary period products," the lawmaker notes.
Willner says for youth in school, the barrier is not only economic; though some teachers and family resource programs may keep emergency period supplies on hand, she says students may feel embarrassment in approaching an adult to access a basic need.
One of Willner’s guests was Skylar Davis, Digital Organizing Manager at Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, who founded the menstrual equity nonprofit “Period, Y’all” in 2012, after she saw the lack of access affect students firsthand.
"No child should miss school because of their period and no child should feel shamed because of their period, and no teacher or staff member should have to dig into their own pockets to make sure that students have what they need," Davis says. "But that's the reality here in Kentucky."
Willner expects the bill to gain bipartisan support. A similar bill proposing the elimination of the “pink tax," HB 64, was introduced on the first day of the session by Republican Representative Kim Banta.