Kicking off the 2023 Legislative Session
Welcome to the 2023 Legislative Session in Georgia!
The 2023 legislature is now in session! We look forward to joining together to support efforts to eliminate the sales tax on menstrual products in Georgia and promote menstrual equity. Keep reading to learn about Georgia STOMP’s priorities to promote menstrual equity in Georgia.
Great News!
In an effort to make contacting your Legislators a little easier, Georgia STOMP purchased new software that will greatly aid advocacy in the coming year! Check out our Take Action page to explore what this software has to offer!
Throughout the legislative session we will provide scripts that are tailored to tract where our issues are each week in the legislature. In addition to our basic verbiage, all of the scripts can be personalized with your own messaging!
The Take Action page will be updated frequently throughout the legislative session.
NOTE…if you are the leader of a member organization, we can provide the computer code to drop into your own website to aid joint messaging throughout the session!
The new software will replace Mailchimp as our communication tool and has other features that we will explore in the coming months.
What are period poverty and menstrual equity?
Menstrual Equity is the affordability, accessibility and safety of menstrual products for all people – including laws and policies – that acknowledge and consider menstruation.
Period Poverty is the limited or inadequate access to menstrual products or menstrual health education as a result of financial constraints or negative socio-cultural stigmas associated with menstruation.
Definitions are from the Global Glossary for the Menstrual Movement.
What issues are important to Georgia STOMP?
- Eliminate sales tax on menstrual products.
- Ensure the continuation of funding for the Departments of Education and Public Health.
- Coordinate with state, local, and county agencies to ensure menstrual products are available in adequate supply for those incarcerated.
- Address the availability of period products for vulnerable populations.
- Advance an understanding of menstrual equity and why it is needed in Georgia alongside efforts to eliminate period poverty.
Georgia led the country in being the first state to provide funding for period products in schools and at local county health departments. We will track that funding in the legislature again this year to ensure its continuation. It is high time for Georgia to address the equity issue of the unfair tax on period products and we are excited about the possibility of a new law in Georgia, but we need your help to make it happen. As has been our tradition, keep an eye out for the Tax Free Tuesday newsletter arriving in your inbox weekly! It will contain current legislative updates and let you know what actions are needed each week.
