BOISE, Idaho — Idaho House Republicans Monday rejected a bill that would have funded free menstrual products in public school girls bathrooms. GOP House members said the proposal was “liberal,” and they objected to “woke” terms describing inaccessibility to tampons and pads.
House Bill 313, sponsored by Reps. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, and Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, would have funded no-cost menstrual product dispensers in public school girls bathrooms for sixth through 12th grade students.
The estimated price tag was $435,000 in one-time state general funds to install dispensers and $300,400 annually to stock them, according to the legislation’s fiscal note. That’s about $3.50 per student. State budget analysts predict Idaho will have a $1.4 billion tax revenue surplus at the end of the fiscal year.
