Maryland Dems mocked for prioritizing tampons in men’s bathrooms amid state deficit: 'Nonsense'
Maryland Del. Kathy Szeliga, R-Baltimore County, is calling out Maryland Democrats for backing a bill that would stock tampons in men’s bathrooms in state-owned buildings—an idea she says is emblematic of Annapolis’ misplaced priorities.
Szeliga said that after she was made aware of HB 941, she took to the House floor to question which public buildings would be impacted. In particular, she wanted to know if the state's professional sports facilities, such as where the Ravens and Orioles play, would be impacted. During her remarks, the GOP Maryland lawmaker also questioned language in the bill ordering "appropriately sized tampons" be placed in all public restrooms in all public buildings.
"What are appropriately sized tampons?" Szeliga asked, earning laughter from parts of the House. "I've never heard of such a thing. What do you consider appropriate?"
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In response, Del. Ken Kerr, D-Fredrick County, said that the language "just means that tampons are offered, there's no specific size." Szeliga shot back, arguing that if that is the case, it should say so, and not talk about sizing.
Meanwhile, Szeliga then pivoted to inquire with Democrats about which public buildings would be impacted, with emphasis on the football stadium where the NFL franchise Baltimore Ravens play and the baseball stadium, Camden Yards, where the Baltimore Orioles play. According to Szeliga, both are owned by the Maryland Stadium Authority.
"If it is a state-owned building, then yes, it would go in – it's a public building," Kerr said when asked about the football stadium, even though he refused to answer the question in any certain terms. "If Raven stadium is a state building, then yes, it would apply … If it applies to the Raven stadium it would also apply to Oriole park."
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Szeliga pointed out that this latest legislative proposal is not the first time Maryland Democrats have tried to put tampons in men's bathrooms. She questioned whether it was a priority being pushed from out-of-state.
"There seems to be an obsession with feminine hygiene products in Maryland, in Annapolis, in the legislature. It must be coming from some national movement, but they have tried in the past to make sure that there was adequate, as they would say, or, you know, feminine hygiene products, but this is now taking it to a whole new level," Szeliga said.
The previous bill, Szeliga pointed out, focused on colleges and universities in the state. She also noted that Republicans were able to amend it, eventually whittling down the bill so that it applied only to health centers at colleges or universities that house students on campus, which she said was already occurring when the law passed.
Szeliga said that with Democrats' latest bill trying to put tampons in all public bathrooms in all public buildings, including male ones, the move will encompass a wider swath of infrastructure, including M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens play, and Camden Yards, where the Orioles play, since they are operated by the Maryland Stadium Authority. She also pointed out that the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, will likely have to begin putting tampons in men's bathrooms as well, if the bill is ultimately passed.
"The fiscal note on the bill said ‘undetermined’ because there are so many state-owned public buildings," the GOP Maryland lawmaker said. "And they wanted it to be paid for by taxpayers."
Szeliga lamented that while Democrats were prioritizing putting tampons in men's bathrooms at an unknown cost to taxpayers, little has been done to rein in the state's "massive" budget deficit.
"Even if they determine to shift some of the cost to the consumer, this still creates hundreds-of-thousands of dollars worth of administrative costs to put tampons in men's bathrooms – just
for the administrative costs," Szeliga pointed out, noting Democrats "couldn't even determine how many state buildings this would apply to."
WBAL-TV 11 News reported that "Several state agencies, without officially opposing the bill, expressed concern about the cost of carrying it out," and highlighted that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources projected that the upfront costs would be about $400,000.
"This is the kind of thing that we see happening in radical Democrat states with super majorities, where they've run out of ideas," Szeliga concluded. "Instead of tackling actual problems like out of control spending and other real problems, electric bills that people cannot afford, they pivot to nonsense like putting tampons in men's bathrooms."
The legislation to bring tampons to public men's bathrooms was sponsored by more than 10 Democratic delegates and was introduced on Feb. 5. The bill has yet to pass either chamber in the state legislature.