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NY Lawmakers Pass Legislation To Ban Tampon Tax

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York's Assembly has passed legislation to exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from state sales taxes.

Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat who sponsored the bill, says the state exempts from sales taxes other medical necessities like bandages, medicine and even condoms.

Earlier this month, five women filed a class-action lawsuit against the so-called "tampon tax," saying that a state tax on tampons creates an unfair standard when it comes to defining medical devices that are specifically designed for women.

The suit also looks to claim millions in restitution for women 'targeted by the illegal sales tax,' the group stated.

There are more than 10 million women of child-bearing age in New York, each paying 4 percent state sales tax on their monthly purchase of tampons.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the state Senate.

According to Rosenthal, five other states have similar tax exemptions while five others have no state sales taxes.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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