People in California will no longer have to pay taxes on children’s diapers and feminine hygiene products for at least the next two years as part of a new law that took effect this month, The Hill reports.
Senate Bill 92 eliminates sales and use tax for both of these types of products. Adult diapers are excluded.
Known as Senate Bill 92, which was signed into law on June 27, 2019, is in effect from now until Dec. 31, 2021. Under the bill the sale and use of “diapers for infants, toddlers, and children, and menstrual hygiene products, defined as tampons, specified sanitary napkins, menstrual sponges, and menstrual cups” are now exempt from sales taxes as well as use taxes, the bill’s text states.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) green-lighted the legislation as part of his state budget. At the time, The Associated Press reported that the move could subtract up to $55 million from the state’s budget, which totaled more than $200 billion.
The bill was authored by Assembly women Lorana Gonzalez (D) of San Diego and Cristina Garcia (D) of Bell Gardens. In an interview last week Gonzalez praised Newsom for approving the law after years of unsuccessful attempts to get the measure passed.
“I’m so proud of the work we have done here in California to really tackle diaper need,” Assemblywoman Gonzalez said in June. “By passing a budget that expands our statewide diaper bank program and by repealing the sales tax on diapers, which we hope to eventually make permanent, we are setting an example for the rest of the nation of how to make a real impact in the lives of working parents.”
The legislation was highlighted in his office’s release detailing the finalized 2019-2020 budget last year along with another measure he signed into law expanding paid family leave in the state from six to eight weeks.
Newsom said then that “the driving idea behind this budget – and my first year in office – is to combat the cost crisis and maintain fiscal discipline.”
“This is a responsible budget that saves for challenging times ahead while investing in the present-day needs of working Californians,” he added.
“This year, thanks to the support of our governor, we were able to finally repeal the sales tax on children’s diapers — saving the average family $100 a year per child in diaper taxes,” Gonzalez told FOX 5.
“Now we work toward making this tax repeal permanent,” she added.
SB92 will expire on Jan. 1, 2022.