TOPEKA– Earlier this month, the Kansas House Committee on Taxation heard testimony on HB 2111, one part of Governor Kelly’s ‘Axing Your Taxes’ package. The three-part plan will save Kansas families more than $500 million over the next three years and provides fiscally responsible tax relief on groceries, diapers, feminine hygiene products, school supplies and social security. 

HB 2111, which would immediately eliminate the state sales tax on food, diapers and feminine hygiene products, was introduced in the Kansas Legislature on January 19 and was referred to the House Committee on Taxation. On February 7, the committee heard testimony from proponents of Governor Kelly’s ‘Axing Your Taxes’ plan.  

Here's what they're saying:

"The principles that led me to support eliminating the food tax are equally applicable to eliminating the tax on hygiene products. The tax relief is more proportionate for those most in need of tax relief and the savings come from purchases necessary to our day to day lives." 
- Rep. Vic Miller,
House Minority Leader 

"We can’t address the deeper needs of victims and survivors of human trafficking in our Day Center such as mental health support, employment, housing, and safety without first addressing these most basic needs that begin the process of restoring dignity. That’s why we’re committed to advocating for policy changes, like House Bill 2111, which would provide direct relief to the thousands of families in our community who are looking to you, our state legislators, for relief from the extraordinary rise in basic household costs these past few years."
- Allison Marker,
Director of Community Engagement, YWCA Northeast Topeka 

"Kansas Appleseed supports HB 2111 not only because it would end the food sales tax this year, it also addresses two other important groups of items that are also worthy of your consideration: feminine hygiene products and children’s diapers. Currently considered “luxury” items in our tax code, they deserve to be tax free, as well. These items are already expensive enough and add yet another burden to families struggling to get by."
- Paige Olson,
SEKS Thriving Advocate, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice 

"This bill is not unfamiliar to anyone. It is a continued emphasis on helping families reduce their cost of food items in the store. The people who spend most of their food dollars in grocery stores, are the people who need this implementation of the reduction in the food tax sped up."
- Jon McCormick,
President and CEO, Retail Grocers Association Kansas & Missouri

"Beyond the economic benefits of eliminating the tax, making groceries more affordable will help make healthy food more available to Kansas families. Ensuring Kansas families are safe and have food and economic security is foundational for healthy development. Access to food, whether because of affordability or location, is a struggle for many Kansas families."
- David Jordan,
President and CEO, United Methodist Health Ministry Fund 

"Eating healthy is more expensive, and eliminating the state food sales tax now rather than later provides Kansas residents more resources to purchase nutritious food for their families than the shelf-stable kind our state sales tax presently encourages. If we can increase access to healthy food, we will not only reduce the risk of obesity but other chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Purchasing diapers and feminine hygiene products are costly and we often hear from young families about the burden of the cost of these necessities."
- Susan Jagerson,
Director, Live Well Geary County 

"The elimination of this taxation would directly affect every Kansan in a positive way. We see every day the negative impact on people and entire Kansas families when there are barriers to accessing these products and items of dignity."
- Jessica McClellan,
Founder and President, Giving Hope & Help Inc. 

"Fiscally responsible measures such as eliminating state food sales tax and tax on diapers and feminine hygiene items are important interventions the Kansas legislature can enact to support citizens’ ability to reach and maintain economic stability."
- Julie Brewer,
Executive Director, United Community Services of Johnson County 

"Immediately eliminating the sales tax on food will help all Kansans have better access to the nutritious food they need to survive and thrive. But food security is about more than just food – it’s about family resources. And because of this, we also support the elimination of the state-level tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products, which will help those in need meet their basic needs."
- Karen Siebert,
Advocacy and Public Policy Advisor, Harvesters – The Community Food Network