Colorado may end taxes on tampons, feminine hygiene products

DENVER (AP) — Colorado may get rid of the so-called “tampon tax,” or sales taxes on menstrual products.

A bill up for its first hearing Monday in a Democratic House committee would end the state sales tax on sales of feminine hygiene products such as tampons or menstrual pads.

The change would cost Colorado an estimated $1.2 million a year in lost tax revenue.

The state Demographer’s Office says that Colorado has about 1.5 million menstruating females who spend about $60 a year on feminine hygiene products. They’d save an average of $1.71 a year in state sales tax.

Colorado is one of 37 states that tax menstrual products.

New York, Illinois and Connecticut passed laws last year making feminine hygiene products tax-exempt.

Utah and North Dakota lawmakers have voted down similar measures.