A Missouri Senate committee is deciding whether to back legislation designed to clarify that some medical devices are eligible for sales tax exemptions.
The sponsor of SB 1402, State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, said the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) is not allowing some exemptions because of the way an earlier state law was written.
“I think that this is another example of the Oxford comma’s lack of use biting everybody. I’d encourage everyone to use an Oxford comma for clarity, so we don’t have to keep fighting with the Department of Revenue,” Coleman told the Missouri Senate Committee on Economic and Workforce Development. “The reason why this has come to a head is because there’s some brain cancer patients that their DME (durable medical device) is now being subjected to sales tax — all of the DME that’s described under federal statute, we intend to exempt from sales tax.”
Coleman’s bill would also extend the sales tax exemption to accessories for wheelchairs – the wheelchairs themselves are already eligible. Accessories would include such things as cushions, trays, and cupholders.
No one testified against the bill at a public hearing last week. A committee vote has not yet been scheduled.
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