HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3080        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Marjorie C. Decker and Mindy Domb

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act expanding access to hygiene products.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3080        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act expanding access to hygiene products.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 111I of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 7 the following section;-

Section 8. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

“Hygiene insecurity”, a person or family's inability to afford the most basic hygiene products.

“Hygiene product”, products that include, but are not limited to, deodorant, diapers, feminine products, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.

(b) The department, in partnership with the department of transitional assistance, shall establish a task force to study the feasibility of including hygiene products under the WIC program. The task force shall consist of: the undersecretary of human services of the executive office of health and human services or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the secretary of the executive office of administration and finance or a designee; the commissioner of the department or a designee; the commissioner of the department of transitional assistance or a designee; the director of the WIC program; 1 member appointed by Hope And Comfort Inc.; 1 member appointed by Community Action Pioneer Valley, Inc.; 1 member appointed by Neighbors In Need, Inc.; 1 member appointed by the Mass National Organization For Women Foundation, Inc.; and no less than three participants in the WIC program from geographically diverse regions of the commonwealth.

(c) The task force shall file a report no later than January 1, 2027 with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities, the joint committee on public health, and the senate and house committees on ways and means. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an analysis of hygiene insecurity in the commonwealth; (ii) a survey of existing public programs and services that address hygiene insecurity, (iii) recommendations to address hygiene insecurity, and (iv) the feasibility of adopting the purchase of hygiene products as allowable activities under the WIC program.

(d) The task force shall accept public comment to inform the report outlined in subsection (c).