California Lawmakers Push For Free Menstrual Products In Low-Income Schools

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A group of California women is banding together to make sure 1.5 million teen girls attending California's low-income schools, don't run into the same dilemma.

"As a former teacher, I just know this makes you fall further and further behind," Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens).

Garcia wants to see feminine hygiene products, free of cost in bathrooms from grade school to high school, so, she proposes to take another pass at the hard liquor industry to carry the cost.

"Put a one and a half penny tax approximately per cocktail—you wouldn't see it per cocktail, you'd see it per gallon. It would also pay for diapers and really creating a gender neutral tax code," she said.

Garcia's first plan to tax liquor instead of tampons wasn't met with praise. The governor vetoed it. But California's Right to Life Committee is still fighting her renewed push, saying,

"[This bill] would well be amended to include free contraceptive products in female bathrooms and free condom distribution in male bathrooms."

Taxpayers may not like the idea either.

But how much would it all cost?

According to the bill's supporters, it will take $5.5 million to launch the program. Then, Californians would pay close to $2 million a year to maintain it.

The bill now heads to the Senate where supporters are confident they'll win bipartisan support.