By Tom Latek

Kentucky Today

Legislation sponsored by a Senate Democrat that would exempt diapers from the state sales tax has received a boost from one of that chamber’s most powerful Republican members.

Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville is the sponsor of Senate Bill 97, which would remove the sales tax from all diapers for both children and adults.

Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, has signed on as a co-sponsor of the measure, and Chambers Armstrong said she appreciates his support.

“I am very grateful to Senator Thayer for championing these issues that are so important to Kentucky families,” she said. “It has been a pleasure to work with him to raise awareness on this issue. This kind of bipartisan collaboration is how we get things done for the people of Kentucky.”

Thayer outlined the reasoning behind his support for the legislation.

“I support tax cuts, and Kentucky already exempts sales tax on items like groceries and medicine, so I think an exemption on something as important as diapers makes sense,” he stated. “If one of my friends in the minority caucus has a good idea, we will support that idea. Sen. Chambers Armstrong has been an impressive addition to the Senate, and I support her effort to cut Kentuckians’ taxes.”

Thayer contends the bipartisan support for SB 97 is evidence politics is not as polarized in Frankfort as some may assume.

“We might have partisanship in Frankfort sometimes because of philosophical differences, but we don’t have polarization as you might find in Washington D.C.,” he noted. “Senate Bill 97 is a good example of a measure that can bring people together from across the aisle. I’m happy to co-sponsor the bill.”

As of Friday afternoon, there were 11 co-sponsors of the measure, five Democrats and four Republicans. They include Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville.

The bill has been assigned to the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. No hearing date has been set yet.