Missouri Senate files bill for personal hygiene product tax cut

Missouri State Sen. Jill Schupp (D-24th District) wants to cut taxes on personal hygiene products.

Schupp, a St. Louis area senator, is making efforts by sponsoring the Personal Period Products and Diaper Sales Tax Relief Act, known as

. The bill would lower the sales tax on tampons, pads, diapers, and incontinence products.

According to a fiscal study from the Department of Revenue, children’s diapers cost families more than $157 million each year in Missouri. Adult diapers and incontinence products, totaled to more than $800 million, and women's menstruation products rung in at more than $26 million a year.

Sen. Schupp said the tax on those products is currently more than 4%, which is the same as consumer goods. While she has received mostly positive feedback about cutting the tax, some people have had questions about how to make up for that lost tax revenue.

Schupp said she believes the 4% tax hurts lower-income people and families the most, which she wants to change.

"These things that they absolutely need is to at least lower the tax on them from the general tax rate down to what we have on most consumer goods down to the rate that we have on essential foods," explained Senator Schupp.

If passed, the bill would save people more than $11 million each year. However this isn't the first time this has been filed.

Schupp said the bill started to move forward attached to an amendment last session. She said, unfortunately, it did not get through the legislature. However, it's not going to stop her mission of slashing those taxes.

"We're going to try it again, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure that the people who need but can't really afford these products have access to them because they're a little bit less expensive," said Senator Schupp.

If the measure passes the tax would drop to nearly 1%.