Senate proposes sales tax holidays to help hunters, workers and families

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 3/4/25-Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, talks with the media after the opening day of the 2025 Legislative Session, Tuesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

As part of his tax relief package, Senate President Ben Albritton is proposing several sales tax holidays this year to help Floridians save money.

The proposed tax holidays would benefit families buying tickets, workers needing tools, parents shopping for back-to-school items and Floridians preparing for hurricane season.

“Over the last decade, sales tax holidays, particularly for hurricane season and back-to-school have become something Floridians have come to expect and plan for,” Albritton wrote in a memo this week. “Our goal was to avoid overlapping holidays, which can be confusing for consumers and retailers alike.”

Here’s the full list for the Senate’s proposed sales tax holidays:

— Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday, June 2-15: Items that will be sales tax-free include flashlights and lanterns costing $40 or less; reusable ice costing $20 or less; radios costing $50 or less; tarps and ground anchors or tie down kits costing $100 or less; coolers and portable power banks costing $60 or less; batteries and fuel tanks costing $50 or less; smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors costing $70 or less; and generators costing $3,000 or less.

— Freedom Month, July 1-31: Tax-free purchases would include admissions to music, sporting and cultural events; movie and museum tickets; single admission or season tickets to theatre and dance performances; state park admission and annual passes; and use of fitness facilities. In addition, memberships and passes that are bought in July to use between July 1 and Dec. 31 would also be tax-exempt. Many summertime goods would also be tax-free, including select boating and water activity equipment and supplies; camping equipment and supplies; fishing equipment and supplies; electric scooters; sunglasses; sunscreen; grills; and residential pool chemicals, supplies and parts.

— Back-to-School Tax Holiday, Aug. 1-10: Tax-free items would include backpacks costing $100 or less; school supplies costing $50 or less; learning aids costing $30 or less; and personal computers or computer-related accessories, including non-recreational software, costing $1,500 or less.

— Skilled Worker Tax Holiday, Aug. 29-Sept. 7: Sales taxes would be cut for certain hand tools costing $50 or less and power tools costing $300 or less, work boots costing $175 or less, and many other pieces of safety equipment, as well as certain shop lights, toolboxes and belts, and plumbing and electrical equipment.

— Hunting Season Tax Holiday, Sept. 15-Oct. 19: This new tax holiday would be for ammunition, firearms, bows, crossbows and related accessories.

Part of Albritton’s tax package proposal also includes permanently eliminating the sales tax on most shoes and clothes 

The Senate’s proposal comes as House Speaker Daniel Perez pushes to cut the state sales tax from the current 6% to 5.25%, while Gov. Ron DeSantis is targeting property taxes to help residents save money.