Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-972
Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
Introduced: 2017-02-07 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Labor
Detention of persons
Health care costs and insurance
Health technology, devices, supplies
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Income tax credits
Income tax exclusion
Inflation and prices
Law enforcement administration and funding
Sex and reproductive health
Women's employment
Women's health
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: 

Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2017 

 
This bill establishes a tax credit, a tax exclusion, and requirements that apply to the purchase or distribution of menstrual hygiene products.
 
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand the tax exclusion for reimbursements from a health flexible spending arrangement to include amounts paid or incurred for menstrual hygiene products, and (2) allow a refundable tax credit of $120 for certain individuals who use menstrual hygiene products, subject to adjustments for inflation and a limitation based on adjusted gross income. 
 
The bill amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to require the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board to establish written guidelines for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to ensure that funds provided under the program to private nonprofit organizations and local governments may be used to provide menstrual hygiene products.
 
Each state that receives a grant under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program must annually certify to the Department of Justice (DOJ) that all female inmates and detainees in that state have access to menstrual hygiene products on demand and at no cost to the inmates and detainees. If a state does not submit the required certification, DOJ must reduce the state's grant funding under the program by 20% and reallocate the funding to states that submitted certifications. 
 
This bill also amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to require the Department of Labor to issue a rule requiring private employers with not less than 100 employees to provide free menstrual hygiene products for their employees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-02-07
text: Introduced in House