HBA-JLV H.B. 3276 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3276
By: Oliveira
Ways & Means
3/22/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The 76th Legislature approved a sales tax holiday for clothing and footwear
priced under $100 beginning at 12:01 on the first Friday in August and
ending at midnight on the following Sunday.  According to the comptroller
of public accounts, Texans saved $32.6 million in 1999 and $37 million in
2000.  Current law does not provide such a tax exemption on certain
reference books.  House Bill 3276 exempts certain reference books from
sales taxes when purchased during the August sales tax exemption period. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3276 amends the Tax Code to exempt certain reference books from
the sales and use tax for a limited time.  The bill provides that a book is
exempt if the sale of the book takes place during a period beginning on
12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the
following Sunday, the sales price of the book is less than $25, and the
book is a paperback dictionary or thesaurus. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

July 1, 2001, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect October 1, 2001.