This story was reported and written by our media partner the Virginia Mercury.
Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, had an “ah-ha” moment when her daughter, now three, was a newborn. She’d been at a restaurant and needed to change her diaper but there was no changing station in the bathroom. Virginia law doesn’t require them in public restrooms, but that may soon change.
“It’s something that you don’t necessarily notice, or don’t notice when it’s missing — until you need it,” she said.
As a state lawmaker, she knew the next window of opportunity to update the state’s uniform building code would come in 2026. The process, where public health, safety and efficiency standards can be set for future construction, happens every three years.
At the state’s May 11 Board of Housing and Community Development meeting, it advanced the Northern Virginia lawmaker’s proposal to require changing tables in public bathrooms. After the public has the chance to weigh in, there will be a final vote on the measure.
Bennett-Parker also planned to submit a proposal to include adult changing stations, which resemble the ones for babies, albeit a bit larger. But she learned that Virginia’s code was already being updated to include it. The adult-sized stations can help people with mobility challenges or disabilities.
As she worked on drafting her proposal, Bennett-Parker posted in various parents-focused Facebook groups where she said she was “inundated very quickly with lots of stories.”
The experiences reflected a “public health issue,” Bennett-Parker said, because without changing stations, caregivers must often choose between using a restaurant table, limited bathroom counter space or the “dirty floor” to tidy up their infants.
“I think some people think ‘oh just go change your baby in your car,’” she said. “But that only works if you have a car.”
As respondents weighed in on social media to Bennett-Parker’s prompts, they shared anecdotes about keeping “puppy pee pads” in their diaper bags to use as disposable mats to lay babies on.
“I can’t even count the number of times where this happened to me or where I’ve encountered a fellow parent in this situation,” Marta Schantz wrote. “I’d often be judged by fellow bathroom-goers, but where else are parents supposed to change our kids’ diapers?”
Crystal Martin relayed that she’s experienced about 60 to 70% of women’s bathrooms having changing stations while only about 10% of men’s bathrooms have them.
Men echoed the issue when Bennett-Parker first presented her proposal to the state board last October, and signaled support by raising their hands.
Though the requirement will entail extra costs to developers, Bennett-Parker said she didn’t get much pushback on that front because “in the grand scope of things, this is a fairly minimal expense.”
Koala Kare, the leading brand for wall-mounted changing stations, typically retails for under $300 dollars per table, though some can cost over $1,000.
Virginia will be among 16 states that have implemented or are considering requiring adult changing stations along with 10 states that have required baby changing stations.
“A bunch of other states have done this so I am happy we are joining them,” Bennett-Parker said.