Texas eliminates 'tampon tax' on menstrual products, sales tax on baby items

Shoppers in Texas no longer have to pay a sales tax on menstrual products, making the state one of the few in the nation to eliminate the so-called “tampon tax.”

A new law that went into effect Friday eliminates the sales tax on feminine hygiene products including items like tampons, menstrual pads and menstrual cups.

In addition to menstrual products, the law, S.B. 379, also eliminates the sales tax on family care items including diapers, baby bottles, baby wipes, maternity clothing and breast milk pump products.

xylogx,

This look to me like an advocacy group successfully advocating for common sense legislation:

“Advocates for menstrual equity who oppose a tax on menstrual products say the taboo around menstruation and the lack of access to menstrual products hurts women economically because it costs them money for products and may keep them from attending jobs and school. Poor menstrual hygiene poses health risks for women, including reproductive issues and urinary tract infections.”

Jeredin,

GOP is simply trying to make the state unwelcoming to progressives and move out the ones that can/will, just so there’s no chance of losing the state to the left. FL and other many other GOP states are doing the same - simple as that: electoral votes.

hroderic,

Likely trying to score some points with female voters after rolling back Roe v Wade

tdawg,

Did… did Texas just do something right for once?

SuiXi3D,
SuiXi3D avatar

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

NightAuthor,

I’m guessing it’s for the wrong reasons. I imagine it’s a pro-procreation move.

CreativeShotgun,

During the same session they banned drag shows in such a vague way that a trans person playing guitar in a public place could be fined or even arrested for sexual performance. Also made it illegal to refuse to identify yourself to police

tdawg,

Oh okay, so it was a distraction from the real issues

ryannathans,

Source?

atzanteol,

This is great - but is the “tampon tax” just “normal sales tax”?

revelrous,

Yep. But other medical products have been exempt the whole time.

Schadrach,

Yeah, but it sounds more like a special imposition placed on women for being women if we talk about the “tampon tax” instead of arguing about whether or not there should be special cutouts on sales tax for products used primarily or exclusively by women.

Natanael,

There are places with “luxury taxes” on some of those items

Schadrach,

Usually only in places where that luxury tax rate is actually lower than the general sales tax. If you have a contrary example, I’m curious.

Natanael,

…cnn.com/…/tampon-tax-germany-luxury-item-grm-int…

SheeEttin,

Yes.

girlfreddy,
@girlfreddy@lemmy.world avatar

Yes. Problem is it only affects 50% of the population.

It would be fair(er) if it taxed Viagra at the same rate.

atzanteol,

I don’t understand how that is a “problem”.

Schadrach,

Or condoms, except in many states condoms actually are subject to sales tax like most other goods. Prescription drugs in general aren’t subject to sales tax, which is why Viagra wasn’t, same as birth control pills, insulin, blood thinners, etc.

UltraFiestaMango,

lol why do idiots always say this? no one NEEDS to use viagra - ever. Can’t get it up? deal with it. But half of the population NEEDS menstrual products, or there will be blood everywhere and that’s a biohazard.

atzanteol,

I get what you’re saying and agree, but damn that’s a “heavy flow” day.

Women dealt with this issue for thousands of years without it being a like a scene from Carrie.

glacier,
@glacier@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Rare Texas W

BonesOfTheMoon,

I’m sure there’s some Republican politician someplace in Texas saying that women have the ability to shut their periods down if they try, and they don’t need socialist tampons.

Rachelhazideas,

God I want a socialist tampon inside me so bad. Socialism is so hot.

dan1101,

Wait, this will disproportionately help women, what is Texas doing?

ivanafterall,
ivanafterall avatar

Maybe they figure they should try to help out since they're trying to force women into pregnancies against their will.

afraid_of_zombies,

Nah. There is a catch just haven’t found it yet.

Hotdogman,

Well aren’t we optimistic this morning.

Edit: in the sense they are trying to help.

WarmSoda,

It got confused

Cethin,

It helped itself in its confusion!

Laughbone,

Oh don’t worry it got bundled with a bunch of other bull shit look up Death Star law if your not already aware

Aviandelight,
@Aviandelight@mander.xyz avatar

I really want to have a positive outlook about this type of thing because I do want to help people. That being said there is nothing stopping retail from marking the price back up to what it would’ve been with the sales tax and just pocketing the extra.

surewhynotlem,

Something… Something… competition. Something… Something… capitalism.

Yeah, no, you’re correct that’s what they’ll do.

BossDj,

I think I figured it out.

Since every other law is attempting to force women to be stay at home moms, men are having to foot the bill for menstrual products, and we can’t be burdening men with such women problems.

OR Republican Texas men don’t know what tampons are for because sex ed in Texas, so the women who sponsored it lied and said it’s for babies.

Cethin,

A far too large group of people think tampons can be safely used for gunshot wounds, and this is Texas we’re talking about so…

sewerkat,

Weren’t modern pads invented by military nurses using bandages? I see how that factoid could give people the wrong idea

BombOmOm,
@BombOmOm@lemmy.world avatar

Texas does something nice

Half the thread: Let’s find some reason to bash on Texas!

afraid_of_zombies,

Why do you think that is? Do you think this is coming out of nowhere?

tider06,

In fairness, you don’t have to look that hard.

NightAuthor,

When you’re really fucking shitty, people have a hard time saying nice things about you. Or even thinking that you actually did that “nice” thing for nefarious reasons.

Cethin,

Hitler did some good things too!!!

dojan,
@dojan@lemmy.world avatar

Wasn’t it a Texas politician who thought that menstruation is voluntary?

Wogi,

Looking at the bill, a brief glance would make it seem that all it does is eliminate taxes for some stuff. You’d have to actually read it to find out what stuff it eliminates taxes on, which most Republicans won’t do. They see fewer taxes and they vote yes.

jasondj,

Still doesn’t make sense. Any man with a kid and half a clue knows that they don’t bleed when they’re pregnant. Thus, tampons are only necessary when women aren’t fulfilling their wifely duties, barefoot and pregnant.

I mean, it really was seeming like the GOP wants every woman to be carrying their spawn (against their will) from menarche to menopause.

odium,

Color me surprised, was not expecting this from Texas.

CameronDev,

Bizarrely, they have accidentally implemented an actual pro life policy

Kerred, (edited )

According to the links, the law was sponsored by Donna Howard (Dem) and Angie Button (Rep). Said 13 yays and 4 abstained from the financial committee.

Hopefully women constituents from both sides encouraged their reps to push forward.

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