Free Period Products in State Buildings

Utah women made history.

On March 2, 2023, Utah made history as the first U.S. state to offer free period products in all state executive branch buildings. An estimated 1,698 restrooms will now have period products, of which nearly 1,000 are used by the general public when visiting state buildings.

Governor Cox and Lieutenant Government Henderson, along with advocates at The Policy Project, made the announcement to a group of advocates and community leaders decked out in hot pink as a nudge to the Utah Period Project. The action marks an important step forward in ending “period poverty” (the lack of access to menstrual products) in the state.

Basic period product needs for girls, women, and menstruators have been largely overlooked in our systems and policy. Experiencing period poverty leads to lowered confidence and continuous disruptions in education, community participation, and workplace productivity. We hope this announcement will be a leap forward in reversing these negative effects.

We thank each member of our community who has joined the fight for menstrual equity and are thrilled to be a part of this historic moment for Utah.