Radio Report: House Republican women legislators introduce bill to eliminate sales tax on diapers and essential baby products

January 14, 2025

Essential baby products, including diapers, are expensive. With sales taxes charged on those products, the costs are even higher for struggling Washington parents. A bill introduced this week in the state Legislature could provide relief. John Sattgast reports.

SATTGAST: Washington parents spend an average of seventy dollars per month on diapers and even more on essential baby products, such as baby bottles, cribs, car seats and clothing. That doesn’t count sales taxes charged on those items.

Gig Harbor Republican Representative Michelle Caldier has introduced legislation that would eliminate the retail sales taxes on diapers and certain baby products.

CALDIER: “Being able to afford diapers and baby products – it was very challenging for myself, as it is for many other families. And our state should be doing everything we can to be helping families out, not hurting them.”

SATTGAST: Under House Bill 1307, the retail sales tax on diapers and essential child care products would no longer apply as of January 1st, 2026. In addition to Caldier, all 10 other House Republican women legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of the measure.

Supporters are hopeful it could save individual Washington parents hundreds of dollars per year.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.