California lawmakers delay 'tampon tax' exemption bill

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Mon Apr 4, 2016 10:21pm EDT

California lawmakers delay 'tampon tax' exemption bill

A California Assembly panel delayed action on Monday on a bill to end sales taxes on tampons and sanitary napkins, an exemption already enacted in five other states in a growing movement against what sponsors say is a tax that unjustly targets women.

The measure has garnered bipartisan support in the Democratic-controlled California legislature, but the Assembly's Revenue and Taxation Committee placed the bill on the panel's "suspense file," meaning its fate will be determined early next month.

Enactment of the bill would reduce state and local revenues by an estimated $20 million a year.

Supporters of the measure say menstrual products should be treated like any other "necessity of life," including food products and other health care items, such as prescription drugs, which are exempt from sales taxes.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-tampons-idUSKCN0X204V

[HassleCat]

1. A stupid bill for a stupid tax

I'm not really against the idea, since any exemption from any part of the sales tax is a good thing. It just gets a little silly about the gender discrimination thing. Anyway, the sales tax itself is hugely discriminatory against lower income people, taxing everything from dish soap to tee shirts to diapers. Maybe the proposed exemption will be a good "foot in the door" to get exemptions for other things such as clothing.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. What possible reason could they have for delaying the bill?

And WHO is the MAN responsible, because it sure as Hell wasn't a woman.