Proposal in House seeks $1,000 tax credit for qualified hearing aid purchases

U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin has authored a new bill in the House designed to help offset the cost of hearing aids with a specified tax credit, according to the U.S. Congress.

Filed as H.R.7770 on March 3, 2026, during the 2026 session of the 119th Congress, the bill’s main provisions are detailed in the official text and have been interpreted here to enhance clarity.

The act proposes updates to the Internal Revenue Code, establishing a tax credit of up to $1,000 for individuals who purchase qualifying hearing aids. The offered credit would apply to income tax to cover costs not paid by insurance. Eligibility is reduced for those with a modified adjusted gross income above $300,000 for heads of households or joint filers, and $150,000 for all other taxpayers. Qualified hearing aids must comply with regulatory requirements and be intended for the individual or a dependent. A taxpayer could only use this credit once every five years, and the credit may not apply to expenses already claimed under other tax benefits. These changes are set to apply for taxable years after Dec. 31, 2026.

Rep. Kevin Mullin, representing California’s 15th District as a Democrat, is the sole sponsor of this legislation.

Mullin has introduced 22 other bills since the session began.

Bills in Congress can originate either in the House or Senate, though proposed revenue laws must start in the House. Following introduction, bills are assigned to committees for consideration, any amendments, hearings, and debate before potential floor votes in each chamber. Passage in both chambers with identical versions sends a bill to the president for approval or veto. Congress operates in successive two-year terms, each with two sessions. The U.S. Congress documents and publishes official bill activities through Congress.gov.

Kevin Mullin has a background spanning multiple public positions, including tenures in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2022, serving as speaker pro tempore from 2014 to 2022. He served on the South San Francisco City Council from 2007 to 2012, was mayor between 2010 and 2011, and sat on the California Metropolitan Transportation Commission from 2011 to 2012 before being elected to Congress in 2023.

He completed high school at Junipero Serra High in 1988, received a B.A. from the University of San Francisco in 1992, and was awarded an M.P.A. at San Francisco State University in 1998.

Information used for this story was provided by the U.S. Congress. View the original data here.