A newly introduced New Jersey bill would require every public college and university to create and carry out a campus menstrual equity plan within a year.
Trenton, NJ – A bill introduced in the New Jersey Assembly would require each public institution of higher education in the state to develop a formal plan to improve access to menstrual hygiene products on campus. The proposal, Assembly Bill 4723, would place responsibility on college presidents to assess existing resources, identify unmet needs, and implement a campus-specific strategy aimed at achieving menstrual equity.
Key Points
- Bill A4723 would require every New Jersey public college to develop a menstrual equity plan
- Institutions would have six months to create the plan and 12 months to fully implement it
- Plans would need to estimate need, identify distribution sites, project costs, and outline a timeline
The legislation, introduced March 16 by Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, defines menstrual equity as equal and comprehensive access to menstrual hygiene products that removes barriers to care and reduces stigma surrounding menstruation. Under the bill, each public institution would be required to study its own campus conditions and determine what measures are needed to provide broader and more reliable access.
The president of each institution could assign the work to the existing Campus Hunger Task Force, create a new task force, or establish another initiative to prepare the plan. Once completed, the plan would be sent to the institution’s governing body, which would then forward it to the Governor and the Legislature.
Colleges would have one year to put plans in place
Under the bill, each institution would have no more than six months after the law takes effect to create a comprehensive and sustainable menstrual equity plan. That plan would then need to be fully implemented within 12 months of the law’s effective date.
The proposal says each plan must include an estimate of how many students and other individuals on campus need free menstrual products. It would also have to identify suitable locations for product distribution, include additional proposals that advance menstrual equity, project the cost of the plan, and lay out a timeline for implementation.
The bill allows schools to begin taking action before the full implementation deadline if they choose. That provision would permit campuses already moving toward expanded access to continue or accelerate those efforts without waiting for the final deadline.
Focus placed on campus access and institutional planning
Unlike broader statewide mandates that directly require product placement in specific locations, the measure takes a planning-based approach by requiring each public institution to develop a strategy tailored to its own campus. That means colleges and universities would be expected to evaluate their own student populations, current services, and building layouts when deciding how best to expand access.
The legislation does not specify a funding source in the bill text, but it does require each institution to include projected costs in its plan. That requirement could shape future budget discussions at both the campus and state level as schools determine how to meet the mandate.
If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately, starting the clock on the six-month planning deadline and the 12-month implementation requirement for public institutions across New Jersey.