Senate Approves Barrington's Bill Adding School Supplies to Sales Tax Holiday

By a vote of 32 to 14, the Senate approved a measure Wednesday to help Oklahoman families save money on school supplies. Senate Bill 1149, by State Sen. 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.

"I think a sales tax holiday is a great incentive to get people to spend their money in Oklahoma,” said Armes, R-Faxon. “I believe it will help working families by stretching the dollars they can spend."

Under provisions of the new legislation, the new sales tax exemption would not go into effect July 1, 2009 and only if the state's growth tax revenue reached three percent during fiscal year 2010.

The measure now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.