(BOSTON 10/23/2025) — Last week, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a pair of bills that advance its commitment to health equity by promoting safe and easy access to menstrual products.

One of the bills, S.2640, expands access to necessary products like tampons and pads in public schools, homeless shelters, and jails and prisons. The legislation requires that these disposable products be made available at no cost to people who need them.

The second piece of legislation, S.2641, promotes women’s consumer rights by requiring that manufacturers of menstrual health products clearly disclose and display a list of ingredients. The ingredients would be easily accessible on both retail packages and manufacturer websites.

“I’m proud of the Senate’s recent advancements toward increasing access to sanitary menstrual products and introducing more transparency to their ingredients,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “These steps will help make sure these products are available to women who need them and bring peace of mind to those with sensitivities to certain ingredients or additives. I’d like to thank my colleagues for their work on women’s health equity, and I look forward to seeing these bills reach Governor Healey’s desk.”

An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products addresses the struggle to afford menstrual products, a key necessity for personal hygiene, for many menstruating adults, students, and children with lower incomes or housing instability. The 2025 State of the Period survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, found that 24% of teens in the United States struggle to afford menstrual products. The poll also found a high number of teens missing out on class time as a result while 39% of teens reported an impact on their schoolwork as a result of limited access to menstrual products.

An Act relative to menstrual product ingredient disclosure responds to growing concerns around potential health effects of chemicals and other additives. A UC Berkeley study in 2024 also highlighted potential exposure to toxic metals. Massachusetts would follow other states that have already enacted similar laws.

The expanded access bill, S.2640, was advanced by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on October 9, 2025 on a 15-0 vote, following a 5-0 vote in the Joint Committee on Public Health on July 10, 2025. The Senate passed similar legislation in the last two successive terms.

The ingredients disclosure bill, S.2641, was given a 15-0 favorable report by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on October 9, 2025 following a 5-0 vote of the Joint Committee on Public Health on July 10, 2025. All committee votes are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.

Both bills were passed by the Senate on bipartisan 39-0 roll call votes and now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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