Oklahoma lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want to remove a tax on groceries. The state is one of six in the nation that fully taxes groceries, but Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, and House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, want to change that.
Right now, Oklahomans must pay the full 4.5% state sales tax on groceries, plus applicable local taxes. However, there is a sales tax relief credit for low-income residents.
Roberts previously filed House Bill 2844 last session and is advocating for its passage again this session.
"We currently have a surplus in funds [in Oklahoma] and revenues are up, so now is the time to bring this much-needed relief to Oklahoma families," Roberts said in a news release.
Virgin has filed House Bill 3621. According to the Democratic leader, the difference between her bill and Roberts' is that his calls for a vote of the people and hers does not.
"Most Americans live in an area where there isn’t a state tax on groceries. Oklahomans can too," Virgin said in a press release last year after conducting a study examining the benefits of ending the state sales tax on groceries.
The proposed legislation will be considered during the upcoming legislative session,
which begins Feb. 7.
![A map indicating how groceries, candy and soda are taxed by state as of Jan 1, 2020.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/927d648/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1350x1113+0+0/resize/880x726!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcd%2Fa1%2F4a93d2514d93bef5c880a91512e2%2Fsales-tax-treatment-of-groceries-candy-and-soda-as-of-january-1-2020-01.png)
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