Our House Budget Amendment Campaign to Protect Menstrual Equity

This April, Mass NOW launched an advocacy campaign in support of a House budget amendment that would have allocated $260,000 to sustain our Menstrual Equity Program and preserve this critical work at a moment when existing state funding is being lost. The amendment was filed on our behalf by Representative Marjorie Decker, lead sponsor of H.4611, the I AM Bill, and we are incredibly grateful for her leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing menstrual equity in Massachusetts.

Since 2021, Mass NOW’s Menstrual Equity Program has distributed nearly one million menstrual products and provided menstrual equity education throughout the Commonwealth. We have partnered with more than 130 community organizations serving low-income communities and facilitated over 50 menstrual equity workshops for those same organizations. This budget amendment would have ensured that this essential work could continue reaching communities across Massachusetts.

Over the course of one week, our team conducted an extensive advocacy effort–delivering informational materials to legislator offices, sending emails, making calls to every Representative’s office in the State House, and creating videos and social media content to engage our coalition and raise public awareness.

While the amendment was ultimately not adopted in the House budget, the campaign demonstrated the remarkable strength and commitment of advocates across the Commonwealth. Together, more than 200 Mass NOW supporters contacted their representatives, helping secure over 70 State Representative co-sponsors in just nine days.

We are deeply thankful to every legislator who stood with us in support of this effort, as well as to the dedicated members of our community and coalition partners whose advocacy made this momentum possible. Your continued outreach to state senators also contributed directly to the successful passage of Senate Budget Amendment #516.

The next step in the budget process is for the House and Senate budgets to move to conference committee, where legislators will negotiate the final version of the state budget. We will continue advocating for menstrual equity funding throughout this process and remain committed to ensuring these vital programs are protected.

The Mass NOW team remains energized and committed to continuing the fight for menstrual equity and a more just future for all Massachusetts residents.

• Co-Sponsored Representatives!

  • Representative Estela A. Reyes

  • Representative Rob Consalvo

  • Representative Samantha Montaño

  • Representative Mindy Domb

  • Representative Brian W. Murray

  • Representative Dennis C. Gallagher

  • Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

  • Representative Patrick Joseph Kearney

  • Representative Michelle L. Badger

  • Representative Tram T. Nguyen

  • Representative Simon Cataldo

  • Representative Homar Gómez

  • Representative Kevin G. Honan

  • Representative Amy Mah Sangiolo

  • Representative Lisa Field

  • Representative Christine P. Barber

  • Representative Thomas M. Stanley

  • Representative Christopher J. Worrell

  • Representative Natalie M. Higgins

  • Representative David T. Vieira

  • Representative Michelle L. Ciccolo

  • Representative Erika Uyterhoeven

  • Representative Mark D. Sylvia

  • Representative Bruce J. Ayers

  • Representative Russell E. Holmes

  • Representative Greg Schwartz

  • Representative Daniel Cahill

  • Representative Sean Reid

  • Representative John J. Mahoney

  • Representative Edward R. Philips

  • Representative Carole A. Fiola

  • Representative Andres X. Vargas

  • Representative Tara T. Hong

  • Representative Dawne Shand

  • Representative Tommy Vitolo

  • Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral

  • Representative Meghan K. Kilcoyne

  • Representative Mike Connolly

  • Representative Patricia A. Duffy

  • Representative Thomas W. Moakley

  • Representative Alan Silvia

  • Representative Orlando Ramos

  • Representative Steven J. Ouellette

  • Representative Joan Meschino

  • Representative Jonathan D. Zlotnik

  • Representative David Henry Argosky LeBoeufRepresentative Hannah Kane

  • Representative Steven Owens

  • Representative Jeffrey N. Roy

  • Representative Danillo A. Sena

  • Representative Adrian C. Madaro

  • Representative Jennifer Balinsky Armini

  • Representative William F. MacGregor

  • Representative Manny Cruz

  • Representative David M. Rogers

  • Representative Michael S. Day

  • Representative Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr.

  • Representative Chynah Tyler

  • Representative John J. Lawn, Jr.

  • Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid

  • Representative Adrianne Pusateri Ramos

  • Representative James C. Arena-DeRosa

  • Representative Paul McMurtry

  • Representative James Arciero

  • Representative Paul K. Frost

  • Representative Hannah Bowen

  • Representative Lindsay N. Sabadosa

  • Representative Tackey Chan

Co-sponsored districts of House Budget Amendment #1705