'Tampon Tax' Once Again Being Debated In California Legislature

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The push to end California's so-called Tampon Tax will continue after Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia once again introduced legislation to do away with sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene products.

Previous proposed legislation failed. In 2016 it was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. Last year it didn't pass out of the Assembly.

This version, Assembly Bill 31, proposed to exempt tampons, menstrual sponges, sanitary napkins, and menstrual cups from taxes as of January 1, 2020. The current laws "impose a tax on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. Those laws provide various exemptions from those taxes." The current law also requires the state to reimburse counties and cities for revenue losses due to sales and use tax exemptions.

If AB 31 passes, counties and cities would not be reimbursed.