D.C. Law 24-250. Period Equity Righting an Injustice of District Residents (PERIOD) Act of 2022.

AN ACT

To require the entity responsible for managing or maintaining a public bathroom to install and maintain dispensers or similar receptacles of free-for-use period products in women's and gender-neutral bathrooms.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Period Equity Righting an Injustice of District Residents (PERIOD) Act of 2022".

Sec. 2. Definitions.

(a) "Public bathroom" means a toilet facility on property owned or operated by the District, including a District-owned property leased by a private entity, and on property owned or operated by entities that have been awarded human care agreements with the District.

(b) "Period product" means a tampon or a sanitary pad made from certified organic cotton and which do not contain the following:

(1) Synthetic fibers;

(2) Plastics, including a plastic applicator;

(3) Chlorine;

(4) Fragrances; or

(5) Other substances hazardous to user health.

Sec. 3. Provision of period products.

(a)(1) Entities responsible for managing or maintaining a public bathroom shall install at least one dispenser or similar container for period products in all women's and gender-neutral bathrooms.

(2) If a public property does not have a gender-neutral bathroom, then the period products shall also be available in at least one men's bathroom and a sign must be placed in all other men's bathrooms indicating where period products are available in the building.

(3) Entities shall stock every dispenser or similar container with sufficient period products to serve the needs of all building visitors.

(b) Period products required to be made available pursuant to this act shall be free of charge.

Sec. 4. Applicability

(a) This act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.

(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.

(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.

Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the Budget Director as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (12 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 6. Effective date

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.