People in California will no longer have to pay for taxes on children's diapers and feminine hygiene products for at least the next two years.
Senate Bill 92 eliminates sales and use tax for both of these types of products. Adult diapers are excluded.
"I mean, these are things that we have to use. We don't have too many other options but I think any way we can save some money, especially with kids and ourselves, is a great thing," said Gina Guerrero, resident of Orcutt.
The law went into effect January 1 of this year and will remain in place for the next two years.
KSBY did some shopping Wednesday to see if stores in the area are already in compliance with the new law.
A box of tampons and diapers cost us about $13 at the Vons on Main Street in Santa Maria, and we were not charged any tax.
We bought similar products from the CVS pharmacy down the road and were still not charged tax.
That was not the case, however, for the last two stores we visited.
At the Smart and Final in Santa Maria, we bought feminine pads for approximately $3 but a $0.26 sales tax was part of the total.
KSBY did reach out to Smart and Final to see if they knew this law was in effect and did not hear back for comment.
It may not seem like a lot of money, but according to California lawmakers, the tax repeal will save families close to $100 a year per child in diaper taxes alone.
"I mean, that is a week's worth of food for a lot of families, so it will absolutely make a huge difference," said Kate Schaefer, resident of Solvang.
If you have paid taxes on these products in 2020, you may be eligible for a refund. Just take this notice from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the original purchase receipt to the store where you purchased the items.
In the original version of this bill, the tax repeal would have been in place for five years, but after negotiations, it is in place for just the next two years to fall in line with the state budget cycle.
Some estimate the tax repeal on children's diapers will save California taxpayers $35 million annually.
For feminine hygiene products, those saving are estimated at $9.4 million per year.
