Eliminating the Tax on Diapers This week the Missouri Senate passed House Bill 594 and 508, making that legislative package one step closer to becoming law. This bill has a couple different provisions dealing with taxation, the most prominent is the elimination of the capital gains tax in Missouri. However, another very important provision that is included in this bill is the elimination of the sales tax on diapers. The elimination of the diaper tax is something the legislature has been working on for years. Diapers are an unavoidable expense for those who have children. On top of that, the cost of bearing children and educating them has only gone up in the past couple of decades. In fact, Missouri, and the nation as a whole, is facing a childcare crisis. In many areas there is no childcare available. These childcare ‘deserts’ are a major burden on working families and contribute to the strain facing parents. Some parents are able to rely on family and friends to watch their under-school-age children, but others must make the tough choice to have a parent leave the workforce to take care of their children during the day. This is a major problem that is having negative effects on our society and economy. For years, the General Assembly has worked on childcare reform. Ideas have ranged from subsidies for new childcare providers to removing regulations that impede providers to making it easier for employers to provide in-house childcare. One form of relief for parents to immediately help working families is the elimination of the diaper tax. All parents must get their children diapers, this is not an optional purchase but a necessity for the proper care of your child. The passage of HB 594 would exempt diapers from state sales tax, which would make diapers cheaper to purchase for Missourians. In a time of economic uncertainty, I am in favor of doing everything possible to help working Missourians. This bill will also eliminate capital gains tax in Missouri. I believe getting taxed for selling your home, farm, car or investments is wrong. Many families are unable to sell their home or farm to their children while they live but instead must wait for them to be transferred through inheritance because of crippling capital gains tax. This bill will ensure Missourians can buy and sell assets without losing money along the way. I am hopeful that the Missouri House of Representatives will accept the changes the Senate has made to this legislation and send it to the Governor for his approval. The end of this legislative session is approaching, and there are many big-ticket items still left to be tackled, including the budget. In the meantime, passing HB 594 will provide concrete, real help to working Missourians all across the state. Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter. | 