PHOENIX - Women are sending tampons and pads to an Arizona representative after he said he would not hear a bill that would provide a free, unlimited supply of feminine hygiene products for female inmates.
Currently, incarcerated women get 12 free pads a month. If they want tampons or additional items, they can purchase them at the commissary.
House Bill 2222, introduced by Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, aims to change that.
According to the introduced version of the bill, the state would appropriate $80,000 to provide the female inmates feminine hygiene products, including pads, tampons, menstrual cups and similar items.
The bill passed the Military, Veterans and Regulatory Affairs Committee last week in a 5-4 vote.
It requires a second hearing from the House Rules Committee, but the chairman of the committee, Rep. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, chose not to put the bill on the agenda, halting its progress.
“We know that this bill really struck a nerve. It struck a nerve in Arizona. It struck a nerve in our country,” Salman said in a video posted to Twitter.
WATCH: @AthenaSalman gives an update on her bill #HB2222. Your voice will move this legislation forward. #AZLeg pic.twitter.com/nVOoLBhRhQ
In the video, she urges voters to reach out to Shope to ensure the bill’s survival.
In response, women have been sending Shope tampons and pads and posting pictures on social media with the hashtag #LetItFlow.