Kentucky bill proposes period tax removal

Jill Smith Assistant News Editor jsmith194@murraystate.edu

Anyone in need of period products currently pays a 6% sales tax in Kentucky, but a recent proposal hopes to eliminate that extra cost for millions in the state.

House Bill 142, introduced by Rep. Lisa Willner (D-Jefferson), aims to remove the sales tax placed on period products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups.

This bill has garnered bipartisan support and is cosponsored by Rep. Samara Heavrin (R-Grayson/Hardin) and Democratic Reps. Ruth Palumbo, Daniel Grossberg and Tina Bojanowski.

Currently, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have passed legislation making period products tax exempt, according to the Alliance for Period Supplies.

Recent U.S. Census data show 16.6% of Kentucky residents live below the poverty line, which is determined using the Official Poverty Measure. This measure compares income, before taxes, against a household’s income that is set three times the cost of a basic food plan in 1963 and adjusted for family size.

Removing the sales tax would make these products more affordable, says Ember Price, a sophomore theater major “Menstruation is a natural body function and shouldn’t be taken advantage of in an effort to get more money,” Price said. “The average college student already has tuition, food, books and so many other costs to worry about and not all of them can afford that alone. Adding another tax into the mix just hurts their available finances even more.”

Individual women can spend up to $18,000 on period products in their lifetime, according to the National Organization for

Women In Kentucky, the average price for a box of tampons can range from $5-$8 while a box of pads can cost around $6.

Former Rep. Attica Scott (D-Jefferson) introduced a similar bill in 2019, but the bill didn’t receive a committee hearing and later died in a Republican-controlled legislature. A student’s mental health can be impacted by lack of period products, said Antje Gamble, associate art and design professor and treasurer of the Gender Equity Caucus.