Relates to exempting school supplies from sales tax during a specified period each year

Latest action Apr 1, 2026

Exempts basic school supplies from sales tax during the 15 day period prior to Labor day.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A6876, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Tax Law.

Committee

Budget And Revenue · New York State Senate

Also referred to Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill would establish a 15-day period each year to exempt school supplies or items commonly used by a student in a course of study from sales tax.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Budget And Revenue
Senate Budget And RevenueFeb 10, 2026Result: passed
(6) (1) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Budget And Revenue
Senate Budget And RevenueMar 12, 2025Result: passed
(6) (0) (0) (1)

Cosponsors

Steve Rhoads

Republican1

Steve Rhoads

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Andrew Gounardes says this is needed

Some states in the United States offer "tax-free-weekend" for purchases of school supplies before the start of the school season. This is done to help families and children get better access to school supplies which are necessary for children to learn. This bill will establish a longer, 15-day period for the sales tax holiday on school supplies or items commonly used by a student in a course of study. School supplies or items commonly used by a student in a course of study will include book bags or backpacks, textbooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, crayons, markers, erasers, index cards, paper, notebooks, binders, folders, scis- sors, rulers, calculators etc. Each year families will experience the sales tax exemption days prior to the beginning of the school year. The bill also establishes a price threshold of less than $110 per purchase, in line with the current price thresholds for sales tax exemptions for clothing and footwear - other necessary purchases for which the state has seen fit to provide relief to working families.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Apr 1, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Finance
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Mar 24, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Ways and Means
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
Feb 10, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO BUDGET AND REVENUE
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly

Show full history (3 earlier events)

Mar 18, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
Mar 12, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Feb 10, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO BUDGET AND REVENUE
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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