CINCINNATI — Buying feminine hygiene products every month can become pricey, and that's especially the case for inmates with limited funds. 

What You Need To Know

  • HB 30 is legislation proposing that jails and prisons provide free feminine hygiene products to inmates  

  • The Hamilton County Justice Center has been providing its inmates with free pads since last year  

  • The Justice Center was charging $2.25 for a pack of 20 pads before it was free for inmates  

  • Correctional facilities across Ohio are temporarily giving out the products for free until the bill passes  
 It used to cost inmates $2.25 to buy a pack of 20 pads at the Hamilton County Justice Center. According to Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, that price tag presented a problem for the inmates. 

"There were pads that we were giving out and they were of a much lower quality than the pads that we sell," said McGuffey. 

In an effort to fix this problem, Hamilton County Commissioners teamed up with the Hamilton County Commission on Women and Girls to place 74 free feminine hygiene dispensaries across the county last year. The Hamilton County Justice Center was one of those locations.

"When you're incarcerated, it is a very harsh environment," she said. "And for us to provide those sanitary pads for women, it really means that they will always have that on hand."

Instead of having to buy the products at the commissary, inmates now get pads for free by request. While the jail no longer profits from selling these items, McGuffey said it's worth it. 

"Your self-esteem is raised and it means that you count," she said. "And those are things that we want to communicate to people that are incarcerated."

But if state lawmakers have their way, it won’t just be Hamilton County facilities that are giving out free feminine hygiene products. 

House Bill 30 is pushing for jails and prisons all across the state to provide them free of charge as well. Ohio Democratic Rep. Latyna Humphrey, who is sponsoring the bill, said it's a necessity for the women in need. 

"We worked with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to create a variance," said Humphrey. "And so now all women facilities do essentially what this bill is saying to do. And now the other piece is, one, codifying it."

While correctional facilities are temporarily giving out these products because of the variance, if passed, the bill would mandate that they continue the practice. 

"I am going to push and I am thankful that the committee chairwoman has allowed for a second hearing and we'll see where we're going to go," she said. "But I'm going to keep pushing, that's for sure."

As for McGuffey, she said she's on board with the bill. But whenever it passes or not, she said she'll remain committed to providing her inmates with the products they need. 

"I'm doing it," she said. "I'm going to continue to do it. And I did it before there was a House bill because it makes sense."