Advocate for The Period Project
Menstruation is a normal and healthy bodily function for half the global population of a certain age, and yet menstruating individuals suffer from burden, stigma and hardship as 40% of people with periods say they struggle to purchase products. For the nearly 1/5 of the American teenagers who live in poverty, the lack of menstrual products and support can lead to lost educational opportunity. In addition, menstrual necessities are not covered by SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), or other welfare programs, and are rarely available at food pantries.*Data from a 2021 U by Kotex survey conducted with YouGov and Alliance for Period Supplies, NJ Period Poverty Fact Sheet 2021, and news reports.
One in five teens say they struggle to afford period products, or are unable to purchase them at all, according to a national study. As a consequence, 84 percent say they’ve missed school, or know somebody else who has.
This inequality is part of the reason NCJW is starting the Period Project to provide menstrual products to students in middle and high school in the Kansas City metropolitan area. We are kicking off the project in late summer. In addition to providing these products we are actively lobbying the Kansas legislature in
two areas. The first is the luxury tax placed on menstrual products in Kansas. This means we pay extra for menstrual products as they are considered a luxury and not a necessity.
There are two bills currently active in the legislature that would remove the luxury tax. While it is a big hurdle, we want to ask the members of the House Tax Committee to hold a hearing on these bills next session. You will find the members listed by email below. It is important they know where we stand on this issue:
House Bill 2009
AN ACT concerning sales taxation; relating to exemptions; providing for exemption for feminine hygiene products and diapers; amending K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 79-3606 and repealing the existing section.
House Bill 2162
AN ACT concerning taxation; relating to sales and compensating use tax; providing for sales tax exemption for hygiene products; amending K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 79-3606 and repealing the existing section.
Here is an example for the email but feel free to use your own words.
Dear Representative :
I am a concerned constituent in Kansas. I recently learned there is a luxury tax on menstrual products in Kansas. Menstrual products are deemed a luxury or “non-essential” for the women of Kansas which means we have to pay more tax on the items. Menstruation is a normal and healthy bodily function for half the global population of a certain age, and yet menstruating individuals suffer from burden, stigma and hardship as 40% of people with periods say they struggle to purchase these essential products. In fact, women in America are paying upward of seven percent (the average U.S. state and local sales tax is 6.5 percent), on a $6.99 pack of tampons, which means roughly an additional 50 cents per box. If you buy one box each month, you would be paying your state government around $100-$225 over your lifetime. Statewide that add ups to over $20 million annually in taxes. In the U.S. 25 million women live below the poverty line without consistent access to period product. We ask that you hold a hearing next session on House Bills 2009 and 2162 which would remove the luxury tax on menstrual products for the people of Kansas and make these necessities more affordable.
Thank you,
Your name
John.Alcala@house.ks.gov
francis.awerkamp@house.ks.gov
Brian.Bergkamp@house.ks.gov
Ron.Bryce@house.ks.gov
David.Buehler@house.ks.gov
Nate.Butler@house.ks.gov
ken.corbet@house.ks.gov
John.Eplee@house.ks.gov
shannon.francis@house.ks.gov
christina.haswood@house.ks.gov
henry.helgerson@house.ks.gov
Nick.Hoheisel@house.ks.gov
tom.kessler@house.ks.gov
Dennis.Miller@house.ks.gov
samantha.poetter@house.ks.gov
clarke.sanders@house.ks.gov
tom.sawyer@house.ks.gov
stephanie.clayton@house.ks.gov
Adam.Smith@house.ks.gov
Jerry.Stogsdill@house.ks.gov
Mike.Thompson@house.ks.gov
carl.turner@house.ks.gov
Barb.Wasinger@house.ks.gov
We are also looking to file a bill that would provide free menstrual products in all middle and high schools in Kansas. Stay tuned to the newsletter for progress on this very
important bill. If you would like to help on this project, please email NCJW at ncjwofkc@gmail.com.