HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2430

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that menstrual products are subject to sales or excise taxes in thirty-five states, including Hawaii.  Yet, in 2019, twenty-two states considered eliminating the "tampon tax" to advance menstrual equity.

     The legislature further finds that a study published in 2019 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that nearly two-thirds, or sixty-four per cent, of low-income women in the United States could not afford menstrual products during the previous year, with nearly half of these women struggling to buy both food and feminine hygiene products within the last twelve months.

     The purpose of this Act is to promote menstrual equity by exempting feminine hygiene products from the general excise tax and providing funding to the department of education to make feminine hygiene products available to students for free on public secondary school campuses.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 237, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§237-     Exemption of feminine hygiene products.  There shall be exempted from, and excluded from the measure of, the taxes imposed by this chapter all of the gross proceeds arising from the sale of feminine hygiene products within the State, including but not limited to sanitary napkins; tampons; panty liners; douches; feminine hygiene syringes; and creams, foams, ointments, jellies, powders, and sprays used for vaginal hygiene purposes."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 to make feminine hygiene products available to students for free on public secondary school campuses.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020; provided that section 2 shall take effect on October 1, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

General Excise Tax; Exemption; Feminine Hygiene Products; Secondary School; DOE; Women's Legislative Caucus; Appropriation

 

Description:

Promotes menstrual equity by providing an exemption from the GET, beginning October 1, 2020, for the sale of feminine hygiene products in the State.  Appropriates funds to the DOE to make feminine hygiene products available to students for free on public secondary school campuses.

 

 

 

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