California governor wants to end tax on tampons, diapers

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, unveiled Tuesday what they call a “parents’ agenda,” including proposals to end the sales tax on tampons and diapers and to use revenue from legal marijuana sales to expand child care programs.

“The governor and I are proud parents of four young children and these issues do hit close to home,” Siebel Newsom said, while Newsom and a half-dozen female lawmakers stood behind her, flanked by boxes of tampons and diapers. “In California, we are fighting for a future where our daughters will be valued equally to our sons … where every parent will have the support they need to provide the best family for their children.”

The proposals are part of the revised state budget Newsom will introduce Thursday, which outlines how he wants to spend more than $200 billion in tax dollars and other revenue. Cutting the diaper and tampon tax would eliminate up to $55 million, according to legislative estimates. He also wants to spend $134 million expanding child care programs, with $80 million coming from taxes on legalized marijuana, give families with children under 6 a tax credit of $1,000 and expand paid family leave from six to eight weeks.

He declined to say how much the paid family leave expansion would cost, saying it will be outlined later this week. He said the money will come from the reserves of the fund that pays for the existing program.

Newsom’s proposal to cut the tampon and diaper tax marked a departure from his predecessor, fellow Democrat Jerry Brown, who vetoed similar legislation in 2016. Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who has tried to pass the diaper tax exemption for five years, suggested having parents of young children in the governor’s office made the difference. Brown, 81, did not have children.

“I cannot tell you the frustration we’ve been through in trying to explain this to people who have never bought diapers,” Gonzalez said.

Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia said her proposal to eliminate the tax on menstrual products is about creating “menstrual equity,” meaning women won’t be taxed for products biology may require them to buy.

The proposal is about “having a tax code that’s gender neutral (and) a tax code that represents our values,” she said.

Newsom admitted it was uncomfortable for him to talk about women’s menstrual products, but said it’s important for men to understand the issue. He also declared himself a “proud feminist” and said more must be done to change the culture of caregiving at home, which he said too often falls to women.