With inflation continuing to be a daily struggle for so many families, a new bill introduced in the New Jersey state Senate and Assembly by Senator Owen Henry (R-12 ) and Assemblymen Paul Kanitra (R-10) and Greg McGuckin (R-10), would make certain baby products exempt from the New Jersey sales tax.

Currently, the purchases of certain baby items such as cribs; child restraint systems; nursing bottles, nipples, and funnels; and strollers are subject to the sales and use tax.

The bill would exempt these items from the tax to help reduce the costs of caring for an infant child, according to the bill’s sponsors, whose districts include Toms River, Brick and Jackson Townships.

According to the bill, a “child restraint system” is defined as any device that is designed to protect, hold, or restrain an infant while riding in a motor vehicle to prevent or minimize injury and conforms with federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The bill also defines a “crib” as a bed or containment designed to accommodate an infant and a “stroller” as a non-motorized, wheeled vehicle designed to push or otherwise transport an infant including, but not limited to, a carriage, folding-type umbrella stroller, or full-size stroller.

While diapers and baby formula are already exempt from the state sales tax, car seats, bottles, cribs and strollers are all subject to the 6.625% tax, which, as earlier reported, may be raised in the next state budget.