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Gun Free Tax Day Bill Filed For Texas Independence Day
 DALLAS -- Guns are already selling at record levels across Texas. The state ranks among the highest in firearm sales.A Plano lawmaker now hopes to make it even more enticing for Texans to become gun owners. State Rep. Jeff Leach, a 30-year-old Republican from Plano, filed a bill to make Texas Independence Day (March 2nd) a tax-free holiday for guns and ammunition. "Gun owners and gun manufacturers in Texas need to know that Texas stands behind them," Rep. Leach said on Monday. He said he filed his bill -- called the Texas Gun Ownership Reinforcement Act -- in response to calls to tighten federal gun laws. "It isn't meant to be disrespectful," he explained. "I understand that the gun debate is hot right now, but that doesn't take away the fact we are guaranteed the right to keep and bear arms." The idea is modeled on the state's tax-free weekend for clothes and school supplies before every school year. The gun idea is not completely unheard of; other states have offered to skip sales taxes on firearms. South Carolina created and later abandoned such a program. In 2009, Louisiana lawmakers passed a "Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday" on guns and ammunition that remains in effect. The tax-free weekend costs the state nearly $600,000 a year. It's unclear how much money Texas coffers would lose under such a proposal, but Leach says it will likely be minimal. "We need to be about encouraging and incentivizing lawful gun ownership in Texas, and this is what this is all about," Leach said. The Plano lawmaker said his bill has wide support and has picked up 25 co-authors. Posted by: Dino Shomomp7692 2013-02-27 |
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