Tax Free Weekend Expansion Bill Passes Senate

The Senate has approved a measure its sponsors say will help Oklahoma families save money on school supplies. The vote was 32 to 14.

Senate Bill 1149, by Senator Don Barrington and Rep. Don Armes, would extend Oklahoma's Back to School sales tax holiday to include school supplies to the list of items already exempt from sales tax during the first weekend in August.

"I've had numerous parents tell me how their kids' school supply lists get longer and more expensive every year," said Barrington, R-Lawton, who was the author of last year's sales tax holiday. "The sales tax holiday last year helped save Oklahomans millions of dollars and they were able to stretch their hard earned dollars further when they did their back to school shopping. This bill would help them even more."

Barrington noted during his debate that the Tax Commission estimates that revenue impact to the state will be around $18.5 million.

Currently, clothing and footwear valued up to $100 are tax-free during the sales tax holiday. SB 1149 would expand the list of tax-free items to include school supplies such as pencils, paper, crayons, notebooks, calculators and instructional materials that cost under $100 as well.

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