81R789 CBH-D
 
  By: Ellis S.B. No. 144
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to exemptions from the sales tax for certain school
  supplies and instructional materials.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 151, Tax Code, is amended
  by adding Section 151.3275 to read as follows:
         Sec. 151.3275.  SCHOOL SUPPLIES, TEXTBOOKS, BOOKS, AND OTHER
  INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS BEFORE START OF SCHOOL.  (a) The sale or
  storage, use, or other consumption of a school supply, including
  textbooks, books, and other instructional materials, is exempted
  from the taxes imposed by this chapter if the school supply is
  purchased:
               (1)  for use by a student in a class in a public or
  private elementary or secondary school;
               (2)  during the period described by Section
  151.326(a)(2); and
               (3)  for a sales price of less than $100 per item.
         (b)  For purposes of this exemption, "school supply" means:
               (1)  crayons;
               (2)  scissors;
               (3)  glue, paste, and glue sticks;
               (4)  pencils;
               (5)  pens;
               (6)  erasers;
               (7)  rulers;
               (8)  markers;
               (9)  highlighters;
               (10)  paper, including loose-leaf ruled notebook
  paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper,
  colored paper, poster board, and construction paper;
               (11)  writing tablets;
               (12)  spiral notebooks;
               (13)  bound composition notebooks;
               (14)  pocket folders;
               (15)  plastic folders;
               (16)  expandable portfolios;
               (17)  manila folders;
               (18)  three-ring binders that are three inches or less
  in capacity;
               (19)  zipper pencil bags;
               (20)  school supply boxes;
               (21)  clipboards;
               (22)  index cards;
               (23)  index card boxes;
               (24)  calculators;
               (25)  protractors;
               (26)  compasses;
               (27)  music notebooks;
               (28)  sketch or drawing pads;
               (29)  paintbrushes;
               (30)  watercolors;
               (31)  acrylic, tempera, or oil paints;
               (32)  tape, including masking tape and Scotch tape;
               (33)  clay and glazes;
               (34)  pencil sharpeners;
               (35)  thesauruses; and
               (36)  dictionaries.
         (c)  A retailer is not required to obtain an exemption
  certificate stating that the school supplies are purchased for use
  by a student in a class in a public or private elementary or
  secondary school unless the supplies are purchased in a quantity
  that indicates that the supplies are not purchased for use by a
  student in a class in a public or private elementary or secondary
  school.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act does not
  affect taxes imposed before the effective date of this Act, and the
  law in effect before the effective date of this Act is continued in
  effect for purposes of the liability for and collection of those
  taxes.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2009, if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for effect on that
  date, this Act takes effect October 1, 2009.