Governor announces NY makes diapers tax-free
ALBANY – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she signed legislation today that exempts sales tax, including at the local level, for diapers.
“I know many parents are anxious about rising prices and making ends meet,” Hochul tweeted. “To bring relief, I’ve signed legislation to ban all local taxes on diapers so that families have one more way to save some money at a time when every cent counts.”
Hochul highlighted the legislation that bans sales tax on adult and children’s diapers, including disposable diapers. Diapers are often a very large, if not the largest, expense for parents caring for infants and individuals caring for seniors, Hochul said.
New York had been waiving the state’s 4-percent sales tax on diapers but some counties and local jurisdictions collected a sales tax on diapers. With the legislation signed by Hochul, it ensures that adult and children’s diapers are not subject to this tax by counties or jurisdictions and follow the state exemption, Hochul said.
The National Diaper Bank Network reports that as of June 5, 31 states were charging sales tax on diapers. The diaper tax ranged from 1.5% in Virginia to 7% in Indiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, the organization said.
