KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Rep. Patty Lewis’ (D-District 25) move to file a bill — House Bill 2187 — Wednesday that exempts diapers and feminine hygiene products from sales tax caught the attention of Kansas City-based diaper bank HappyBottoms.
HappyBottoms is a direct benefactor of both of the additional provisions of the bill.
One renews the diaper bank tax credit set to expire in December 2024, which was passed with a sunset clause in 2018. This credit allows donors to diaper banks, like HappyBottoms, to receive a 50% tax credit on donations made.
“We rely on those donations so much. The tax credits really help to just let people know that they can donate, but they can also receive that tax benefit from it,” said Ashley Allison, marketing and communications manager at HappyBottoms.
Allison said without the incentive, donors could dwindle.
“Our diaper bank alone could lose up to $200,000 in donations if those do not get renewed, and I know that there’s other diaper banks across Missouri that would lose funding as well,” she said.
The list currently includes five locations that are eligible to participate in the tax credit program, but Lewis hopes to add a sixth as the second new provision to the bill — the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks in Springfield.
“We’ve got babies all over the state, not just in well-populated [areas] in the cities; they’re everywhere, and the diaper insecurity is a challenge for many families all over the state,” Rep. Lewis said.
Lewis said HB 2187 has received bi-partisan House approval in the past, but it was "stripped out in a conference committee" before it reached Gov. Mike Parson's desk.
However, she thought this year could be different because of the two new provisions.
"I think it will help it push it over the edge because it’s time-sensitive," Lewis said. "The diaper bank tax credit is set to expire December 2024, so if we don’t get it done this session, then there’s no time left."
HappyBottoms distributed over 3 million diapers to partner agencies across the state in 2023. A number of those diapers made it from the warehouse into Bryte Moore’s home.
“It is a convenience just to be able to go when you’re running low on diapers and get a little restock that’ll last you just until the end of the month or the beginning of the month, so I appreciate it,” Moore said.
Moore has received free diapers since her 7-month-old daughter was born in May, something she said has been extremely helpful considering she has three children.
“In general, just to be a decent parent, it’s juggling a lot,” Moore said.
HappyBottoms plans to increase the number of diapers parents like Moore can take home from 50 per month to 75 per month.
“That’d be awesome; I’d like to get a little more,” Moore said.
And since she pays for diapers out of pocket once the free ones run out, she’s all for no sales tax, which currently sits at 4.225%.
“That’s saving at least 20 extra bucks every time you buy some diapers or some household goods or household items. Yeah, I’ll take that back,” Moore said.
—
