Bill L.D. 628 is an act to ensure comprehensive access to proper menstrual products in Maine’s prisons and detention centers. This is a bill that is long overdue to safeguard women’s reproductive health.

Currently, most detention centers in Maine offer reasonable access to menstrual products to their female inmates. Unfortunately, there is not a state law requiring them to do so. In August 2017, the Federal Bureau of Prisons enacted legislation requiring such access. However, as Maine’s state-run detention centers are not governed by the rule.

As a concerned woman, I fear that when facility administrators are faced with the need to cut costs, the access to menstrual products will be one of the first cuts made. For people with female reproductive organs, having access to menstrual products is a basic need. This basic need is no different then having access to soap, water, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and clean working facilities and should be treated as such.

I encourage all legislators to support L.D. 628.

Dorine Wright

Jay