Senate committee backs pilot to place hygiene vending machines in three schools

The Senate Education Committee approved Senate Bill 587, a pilot program directing the Department of Health to establish hygiene vending machines stocked with feminine products in eligible schools, committee members heard.

Leader Actberry, the bill sponsor, said the pilot would require the Department of Health to establish and administer machines in three schools (one in each grand division). An amendment adopted in committee reduced the proposed pilot from six machines to three to make the test more fiscally conservative.

Actberry described the pilot as a controlled-access program: students who need a product would request it from the school nurse or a designated administrator, who would swipe an access card to dispense an item; the machines could also be used for purchases at school events. The sponsor said the goal is to ensure young women are not pulled out of class for lack of access to needed products and to collect state-level data on usage and feasibility.

Committee members asked about funding and operation. Leader Actberry told the committee the pilot would be paid from general funds and cited a fiscal note of about $22,000; the sponsor also referenced a nonprofit, Archie's Promise (Clarissa Hamm), that currently operates machines in Rutherford County and said the department-run pilot would allow state tracking of results rather than relying solely on nonprofit reports.

Questions focused on whether the state should run a pilot or encourage local districts and nonprofits to provide the service. Senator Pote said he would oppose state action in favor of local solutions. Sponsor representatives said the pilot is meant to gather data from different regions (West, Middle and East Tennessee) while preserving local discretion in implementation. The sponsor also confirmed the machines would be placed in women's restrooms or a designated area with controlled access.

The committee voted to report the bill to the calendar: six ayes, two noes and one present not voting.

What’s next: With the committee’s report, SB 587 moves to the Senate calendar for further consideration.

Sources and attribution: Quotes and fiscal details are drawn from statements by Leader Actberry and committee members during the hearing.