The state of Utah is currently in the middle of a debate regarding a bill that is now known as the "Tampon bill". Utah Representative Susan Duckworth is behind the said bill. The bill proposes that feminine hygiene products such as tampons and sanitary pads should not be taxed as they are a necessity for women.
"Having a period is not a choice for women," quipped Stephanie Pitcher from Utah Women's Coalition - one of the supporters of the bill.
Not everyone is on board with the proposed tax exemption. Some representatives from other states have since spoken out about the issue. According to them, cutting taxes on feminine hygiene products would create a dent in the cities' budget. Moreover the proposal might encourage other lobbyist to argue about lifting taxes on other products as well.
Should the bill be passed, it is expected that the general fund of Utah would lose about 1 million dollars a year. According to Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, Utah's budget cannot make another hit considering all the expenditures on medical aid it had to shell out.
At present, Utah's legislative committee is asking for more time to evaluate the bill. Duckworth is currently is scheduled to present the bill in front of the city's legislations. However, even Duckworth is not optimistic about the bill's future. According to Duckworth, she is disheartened by the knowledge that there is little to no chance that the bill would be passed. She however was quick to reassure her constituents that despite fighting a losing battle, she would not be giving up.
"I'm going into an all-male committee, and I just don't believe they're going to have much sympathy. The chances of it getting out of committee are probably not very good, but I'm not going to give up on it,"