Legislation would make feminine hygiene products more affordable for women
LANSING — State Sens. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) and Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) today introduced legislation to make Michigan the next state to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales and use tax — a move that makes these essential products accessible and affordable for more women.
“Feminine hygiene products are a necessity and to use them isn’t a choice,” Sen. Brinks said. “For some, the cost over the course of a year, or even a lifetime, is already difficult to bear before factoring taxes. We should treat these products like any other medical expense and create easier access for every woman in Michigan.”
It is estimated that women use approximately 17,000 tampons and sanitary napkins in their lifetime. Michigan currently exempts food, medicine, durable medical equipment, farming equipment and newspapers from the state’s six percent sales tax.
“Most women will buy tampons for decades of their life. That’s a fact. It’s something that’s medically necessary and essential to our everyday lives. What may seem like small change in taxes adds up quickly over time,” Sen. McMorrow said. “Let’s give women more spending power to put back into our economy how they see fit: to buy groceries, contribute to child care, or save toward a house or retirement. We should be treating women’s needs like any other medically necessary purchase that is tax exempt in Michigan.”
Other Midwest states have exempted feminine hygiene products from sales tax. Canada has also eliminated the so-called ‘tampon tax.’
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