A state lawmaker hopes to make diapers more affordable.

Testifying before the interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue yesterday, state Senator Kasy Chambers Armstrong said she intends to file a bill next year that would make diapers tax exempt and Kentucky the law.

The Democrat said families can spend up to $2,000 a year in diapers nationwide.

One in two families struggle to afford diapers, which can lead to other problems.

Some families resort to washing and reusing disposable diapers, turning them inside out, or leaving their child in the same diaper all day, hoping that that child won't develop a severe enough diaper rash that they need to go to the hospital.

Families will make decisions to buy less food for themselves or for their other children because they just don't have enough money to make ends meet.

Other families will keep their kids home from daycare because they cannot afford the amount of money they need to send diapers with their child to that program.

And some families will lose their jobs as a result of that.

Nearly 20 states have already made diapers, sales tax exempt.

Senator Chambers, Armstrong said results in those states are remarkable.

We see families in low income neighborhoods buy 6% more diapers, and we see the purchase of children's pain medications in those same neighborhoods decrease by 6.2%.

Babies are healthier.

They aren't getting severe diaper rash.

Families are better able to meet their needs.

A fiscal impact statement estimates the bill would mean a loss of more than $6 million to the state's general fund.

Senator Chambers Armstrong said the money saved by families will likely be reinvested back into the state's economy.

The bill is one of many that will be considered during the next Kentucky General Assembly, which begins in January.