DeSantis reminds Floridians to utilize back to school sales tax holiday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis reminded Floridians about the ongoing back to school sales tax holiday, which began July 24 and will run through Aug. 6.

“We worked hard to include this tax holiday in our Framework for Freedom Budget, and Florida families will now save more than $160 million on needed back-to-school supplies,” DeSantis said.

“I’m proud that we were able to use this time to also support local education foundations that were impacted by Hurricane Ian as they prepare for the upcoming school year,” he continued. “In Florida, we will continue to put families first and support our students.”

The holiday covers items like clothing, shoes, backpacks, school supplies like notebooks and pencils, learning aids like flashcards, personal computers, tablets, and other accessories.

On top of the holiday that runs through Aug. 6, another holiday will take place beginning Jan. 1, 2024 through Jan. 14, to mark the start of spring semesters across the state.

The governor’s office noted that the ongoing sales tax holiday adds on to the “Freedom Summer” sales tax holiday, which ends after Memorial Day weekend.

Items covered under that holiday include children’s athletic equipment, children’s toys, outdoor recreation purchases, tickets to some museums and concerns, entry to state parks, and more.

In a press release, DeSantis’ office also announced the awarding of $2 million from the Florida Disaster Fund to six school foundations in counties “hardest hit” by Hurricane Ian, a near category-5 storm that battered the state last year.

“These foundations will use the funds to purchase school supplies for children in areas where families are still recovering from the storm,” DeSantis’ office said. “By awarding these funds during the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, these foundations will maximize their funds to purchase more supplies and assist more students.”