GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera joined students, educators, lawmakers, and over 400 volunteers at PeriodPalooza, a high-energy community event organized by the nonprofit Justice Necessary to help Coloradans access period products.
This event follows the passage of House Bill 24-1164 — a landmark law signed by Governor Polis requires Colorado schools to provide free menstrual hygiene products in at least 25% of restrooms by June 2025 and 50% by June 2026. PeriodPalooza marked the culmination of a statewide initiative to assemble and distribute one million organic period products to students across Colorado.
Lt. Governor Primavera delivered remarks and read a proclamation recognizing Menstrual Hygiene Day alongside Attorney General Phil Weiser, Secretary of State Jenna Griswold, and Denver Health CEO and former Lt. Governor Donna Lynne.
“Access to period products should never be a barrier to education or health,” said Lt. Governor and Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care, Dianne Primavera. “From ending the tampon tax to advancing legislation that ensures menstrual dignity in our schools, we’re working to make basic hygiene essentials more affordable, more equitable, and more accessible to all Coloradans.”
The event also recognized the work of Justice Necessary, founded by Diane Cushman Neal.
“When 80% of Colorado students who experience periods miss class due to a lack of access to period products, we partnered with legislators and stakeholders to pass HB24-1164. But passing a law isn’t enough. Real change comes from putting policy into practice,” said Diane Cushman Neal, Founder and President of Justice Necessary. “We launched PeriodPalooza to bring communities and schools together to pack and distribute over 2.5 million period products. Our goal is to raise awareness about the barriers students face and remind us all that access to period products just is necessary.”
To support the rollout of HB24-1164, Justice Necessary launched a Menstrual Access Grant delivering over 2.5 million organic period products and 1,371 dispensers to more than 460 Colorado schools, along with full installation support.
This work builds on Colorado’s broader efforts to reduce hygiene poverty and promote health equity. In 2022, under the leadership of Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera, Colorado became one of the first states to eliminate the state sales and use tax on both diapers and menstrual products.
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