Men’s restrooms and even some, gender-neutral and women’s restrooms still do not have changing tables. Some people just assume a business doesn’t even have them installed which should not be the case these days. All restrooms should have a diaper changing solution for families, especially one that is clean, comfortable and convenient.
Diaper changing table legislation varies by country and state/province, but in general, there has been a push in recent years to require certain establishments to provide accessible diaper changing stations. In the United States, the Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation (BABIES) Act of 2018 requires that all federal buildings that are open to the public have at least one baby changing station that is accessible to both men and women. Additionally, several states have passed laws requiring changing stations in certain types of public restrooms, such as in restaurants, malls, and airports. Some of these laws also require that the changing stations be accessible to both men and women.
We are hopeful that more legislation will further encourage, if not actually mandate, businesses to make available diaper changing tables for families to use when out in public. Most recently the below made national headlines:
- Just two weeks ago, the Congressional Dads Caucus called out the lack of diaper changing tables on Capitol Hill.
- Columbus Ohio’s City Council recently authorized the funding of $25,000 to purchase more baby changing stations as part of a grant program to raise awareness and provide equal access to diaper-changing tables throughout the city.
- Colorado recently passed House Bill 1057 requiring newly constructed public buildings owned or operated by the government to provide non-gendered bathrooms on each floor where gendered bathrooms are available, beginning in 2024.
Even though each of these situations is slightly different, the message is the same – the current landscape of diaper changing stations across the country is not good enough. The Pluie founding team is committed to Changing the Table® and answering this call by developing a cleaner, more comfortable and more convenient solution. Pluie is a modern changing table that uses patented UV-C light technology known to kill 99.9% of germs to self-sanitize in just 60 seconds, protecting the most vulnerable from harmful bacteria and viruses. Pluie tables are already improving life for parents on the go at major retail destinations, airports, stadiums, theme parks, restaurants, and other public spaces in over 20 states across the country.
Overall, the trend is towards increasing accessibility and convenience for parents and caregivers who need to change their babies in public spaces. Several states in the United States have passed laws requiring diaper changing stations in certain types of public restrooms. Some examples of states with such laws include:
- California: Requires that all new or renovated public restrooms in certain types of buildings, such as restaurants and movie theaters, have at least one changing station accessible to both men and women.
- Florida: Requires that all state buildings that are open to the public have at least one changing station accessible to both men and women.
- New York: Requires that all new or substantially renovated public restrooms in buildings open to the public, such as restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues, have at least one changing station accessible to both men and women.
- Texas: Requires that all restrooms in public buildings that are designed, constructed, or renovated after September 1, 2019, have at least one changing station accessible to both men and women.
It’s worth noting that the specific requirements and exemptions vary by state and by the type of building, so we recommend checking specific laws and regulations in your state for more information which you can find here.
