Woonsocket Radio News Room

Rep. Brien sales tax holiday bill would allow for 'Christmas in July in RI'

 

STATE HOUSE — Rep. Jon D. Brien (I-Dist. 49, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) has introduced legislation that would create an annual sales tax holiday.

Touted as “Christmas in July in RI,” the legislation (2023-H 5805) would create a sales and use tax holiday for the second Saturday and Sunday in July annually, exempting items below $2,500 from the state’s 7-percent sales tax. The holiday would not apply to sales of telecommunications, tobacco products, gas, steam, oil, electricity or motor vehicles.

“Other states have seen success with sales tax holidays in stimulating their economies,” said Representative Brien. “Christmas in July in RI would be a nice hook to lure in shoppers from nearby states to Rhode Island. Not only is it a great way to give back to businesses in the state, but it would help out others, as well, since July is the perfect time to enjoy the state’s restaurants, beaches and other attractions.”

Several states currently have sales tax holidays. Most jurisdictions use the holiday to exempt clothing and back-to-school supplies from sales tax. Since clothing is already sales tax-exempt in Rhode Island, Brien’s legislation would be modeled on the Massachusetts tax holiday, which currently exempts all taxable items below $2,500. 

The legislation, which is cosponsored by Representatives Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence), Jacquelyn M. Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston), House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale (R-Dist. 40, Foster, Glocester, Coventry), Patricia Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry), Edward T. Cardillo Jr. (D-Dist. 42, Johnston, Cranston), Robert D. Phillips (D-Dist. 51, Woonsocket, Cumberland) and Brian C. Newberry (R-Dist. 48, North Smithfield, Burrillville), has been referred to the House Finance Committee.             

 

A mass shooting on Memorial Day in Hollywood, Florida has left nine people injured, including a one-year-old child. Investigators believe two groups were arguing when shots were fired. One person was detained, but the search is still on for a second suspect. The incident was just one in a series of Memorial Day weekend shootings across the U.S. that left at least 16 people dead and dozens injured.        President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy will be working the phones today in a bid to sell the debt ceiling deal they struck to holdouts within their respective parties. The House is expected to vote Wednesday on the bipartisan deal that raises the nation's debt limit for the next two years.       A detention hearing is set for today in federal court in Washington, DC for a 19-year-old from Missouri charged for ramming a U-Haul truck into a barrier near the White House earlier this month. Sai Kandula [[ sy kan-doo-lah ]] reportedly told police his goal was to get into the White House, seize power and be put in charge of the nation.        Nearly five years after eleven people were shot to death in the Pittsburgh-area Tree of Life synagogue, the trial of their accused killer starts today. With 12 jurors and six alternates officially seated late last week, proceedings are set to begin in the trial of Robert Bowers. Federal prosecutors are looking for convictions on 63 separate counts in connection with the October 2018 mass shooting.        An Iowa apartment complex that partially collapsed Sunday night is set to be demolished today. This, after a ninth person was pulled from the rubble of the historic six-story building in Davenport yesterday. No deaths have been reported and there's no word yet on what may have caused the collapse.        The Golden Knights are moving on to the Stanley Cup Final. Las Vegas blew out the Stars 6-0 in the Western Conference Finals from Dallas. They'll face off against the Panthers in the Cup final after Florida swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance.       

Old News Archives