Cuomo signs ban on taxing feminine hygiene products

ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law Thursday that will eliminate sales tax on feminine hygiene products.

The bill was approved by the state Legislature in June. The measure exempts the products from local and state sales tax.

“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,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, Dutchess County, and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, sponsored the measure, saying that New York should no longer tax tampons and other feminine hygiene products because other medical goods are already exempt.

Feminine hygiene products have been taxed in New York since the state sales tax was installed in 1965.

The state estimated that eliminating the tax would save consumers about $10 million a year.

“I am thrilled that women in New York state will no longer be burdened by an egregious gender-biased ‘luxury’ tax,” Rosenthal said in a statement.

“For too long women have been paying a sexist tax on menstrual products, and this new law will ax the monthly tax on a natural bodily function.”

The state Senate and Assembly initially passed separate versions of the bill, but they reconciled them and sent the final approval to Cuomo for his signature.

JSpector@Gannett.com

Joseph Spector is chief of the USA TODAY Network's Albany Bureau.