Indiana lawmakers consider costs that could end state tax on womanly hygiene items

INDIANAPOLIS - - Indiana legislators approved a proposal for the "tampon tax" that would overrule the sales tax on womanly hygiene and menstrual items.

This week, Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinville) added new language that would eliminate the state's tax on these products by amending Senate Bill 256 as Indiana's legal session nears its conclusion.

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The proposed language surrounding feminine hygiene items includes tax exemptions for tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups, pads and "other comparable concrete personal property designed for feminine hygiene in connection with the human menstruation."

Indiana's sales tax on womanly health products stands at 7 percent, which is among the greatest in the country, according to the Alliance for Period Supplies.

Senate Bill 256 will now be examined in your house before returning to the Senate for a choice on whether to approve the changes.

There has actually been a push by some Indiana legislators to remove the tax on feminine hygiene items in the last few years. Among those lawmakers is Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), who has actually openly tossed her support behind legislation targeted at eliminating the "period tax" with previous efforts failing to gather enough support from Indiana Republicans.

Sen. Yoder has previously stated that the "period tax" forces girls and ladies to pay higher taxes on important health items.

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Sen. Yoder launched the following declaration on the amendment to remove the sales tax on womanly hygiene products.

This year, like last year, I presented legislation to eliminate the unconstitutional and unfair tax on period products. This tax is really an additional concern on families who are already having a hard time to make ends fulfill and are often required into circumstances where they have to pick to buy food, gas or other essential products over menstrual discharge collection devices.

Sen. Yoder

Indiana is one of 21 states that presently impose a tampon tax.