In May, the New York State legislature passed a bill eliminating the sales tax on feminine hygiene products. As expected, that bill was signed into law yesterday by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In the press release (here) issued by the Governor’s office, Cuomo said, “This is a regressive tax on essential products that women have had to pay for far too long and lifting it is a matter of social and economic justice.” Some local press coverage can be found here.
The estimated budget impact, according to some reports (e.g., here) is $10 million per year. A class action lawsuit filed in March of this year (before the legislative repeal) estimates that the “tampon tax” generated over $14 million for New York State.
Although New York has prospectively changed its law, the lawsuit is going forward, as the plaintiffs have requested restitution for past tax paid.
