What looks like a common sense bill to the rest of us, one that would have put dispensers in schools was rejected by the Republican-controlled legislature, though it was sponsored by Republicans Lori McCann and Rod Furniss. (Apparently, they're both RINO's now.) Idaho's House of Representatives barely has any Democrats in it, and is split 59R-11D. The bill died, on a 35-35 tie vote.
Source: Hasting Tribune
BOISE, Idaho — Idaho House Republicans Monday rejected a bill that would have funded free menstrual products in public school girls bathrooms. GOP House members said the proposal was “liberal,” and they objected to “woke” terms describing inaccessibility to tampons and pads.
House Bill 313, sponsored by Reps. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, and Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, would have funded no-cost menstrual product dispensers in public school girls bathrooms for sixth through 12th grade students.
The estimated price tag was $435,000 in one-time state general funds to install dispensers and $300,400 annually to stock them, according to the legislation’s fiscal note. That’s about $3.50 per student. State budget analysts predict Idaho will have a $1.4 billion tax revenue surplus at the end of the fiscal year.
So what did Republicans find so objectionable? Naturally, they sent out a couple of female members to diss the idea, because, well, that's what they're there for.
Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, called it a “very liberal policy.” “Why are our schools obsessed with the private parts of our children?” she said. Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, objected to the phrases “period poverty” and “menstrual equity” that were used to describe inaccessibility to menstrual products. “These are woke terms,” Ehardt said.
And if you're unsure, the tweet below is satire.
