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Senate Finance Committee approves sales‑tax holiday for firearms, ammunition and safes with five‑year sunset
Summary
The Senate Finance Committee voted to approve a sales‑tax holiday covering firearms, ammunition, gun safes and related accessories, adding a five‑year sunset; members debated the policy's priority and economic impact before the measure passed on a recorded voice/hand vote.
The Senate Finance Committee approved a bill establishing a sales‑tax holiday on firearms, ammunition, gun safes and related accessories, voting to pass the measure as amended during the committee meeting. The committee adopted a five‑year sunset and set the bill to take effect July 1, with the act scheduled to expire June 30, 2030.
Supporters said the exemption recognizes outdoor recreation spending and provides relief to lawful purchasers. "You have seen this bill before," said Senator Anavitarte, the bill sponsor. She told the committee the measure promotes outdoorsmanship and cited retail demand for safes and related items as reasons for the exemption.
The bill drew questions from colleagues over the choice to prioritize firearms and related accessories for a sales‑tax holiday. "Why prioritize these items over, say, baby products, and women's health products... or school supplies?" asked Senator Estevez during committee debate. Several members proposed or discussed narrowing the exemption to a subset of outdoor gear; the sponsor said she would not accept amendments narrowing the list beyond a sunset or shortening the number of days.
Committee members also debated the economic effect of the holiday and the role of a sunset. A member summarized the fiscal note figures discussed earlier: "Over those 11 days, we're talking about... about $62,000,000 put back into the Georgia economy," reflecting the low‑end estimate cited in the committee's earlier fiscal analysis. Lawmakers discussed whether a sunset was an appropriate tool to re‑evaluate results; one senator argued sunsets are typical for business tax credits, while another said not all measures require them.
The committee first voted to add a five‑year sunset amendment. The chair announced the amendment carried by voice/hand vote (7 in favor, 2 opposed). On the final vote for the bill as amended, the chair announced the motion carried (8 in favor, 3 opposed). After the vote the sponsor expressed support for the committee's action.
The bill as approved by committee will move toward the full Senate calendar for further consideration.
