Sales tax holiday: How to stock up on emergency supplies

If the coronavirus pandemic has you assessing your family's emergency preparedness, take heart: The state of Texas is making it a little easier to stock up on supplies.

This weekend, from 12:01 a.m. Saturday until midnight Monday, you can buy certain emergency preparation supplies without sales tax. To encourage social distancing, state officials said the sale of supplies purchased online or by telephone, mail, custom order or other means aside from in-person sales qualifies for sales tax exemption if supplies are both delivered and paid for during the exemption period or supplies are ordered and paid for immediate shipment -- even if delivery is made after the exemption period because of delays or backlogs.

"We're encouraging people to be safe and to shop online if they can," said Kevin Lyons, spokesman for the comptroller's office. "If they go to brick and mortar stores, just use social distancing recommendations. We want people to take advantage of this state holiday, but to do it in a safe manner."

Texans saved an estimated $1.6 million in 2019, $1.5 million in 2018 and in 2017, and about $1.4 million in 2016. Officials said it's hard to estimate how much will be saved this year, because the pandemic makes it difficult to forecast.

So what qualifies as emergency supplies? Because severe weather often can cause major emergencies in Central Texas, let's start with what the National Weather Service recommends for a basic emergency kit -- but not all of those things will be tax-free. Here's how it breaks down:

Basic emergency kit items (Tax-free)

To be tax-free, the total cost of these items -- including any delivery charges -- must be less than $75:

? AAA, AA, C, D, 6-volt or 9-volt batteries.

? Nonelectric can openers.

? Fire extinguisher.

? First-aid kits.

? Flashlights, lanterns, candles.

? Battery-powered radio or self-powered weather radio.

? Plastic sheeting.

? Baby formula (always tax-free).

? Unflavored bottled water (always tax-free).

Basic emergency kit items (NOT tax-free)

? Disinfectant wipes.

? Toilet paper and bags with ties for personal sanitation.

? Paper and pen or pencil.

? Sleeping bags or blankets.

? Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities).

? Personal hygiene items (travel-size deodorant, cotton swabs, feminine items, etc.).

? Signal whistles.

? Duct tape.

? Extra pet food.

? Dust masks to help filter the air.

? Rain gear.

Other items eligible for tax exemption

These items (costing less than $75, unless otherwise stated) didn't make the weather service's list for basic supplies, but they're also tax-exempt this weekend:

? Portable generators (costing less than $3,000).

? Emergency ladders (costing less than $300).

? Axes and hatchets.

? Carbon monoxide detectors.

? Coolers and nonelectric ice chests.

? Fuel containers.

? Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits.

? Mobile phone batteries and chargers.

? Smoke detectors.

NOT tax-free nonemergency items

The tax exemptions don't apply to everything that could be used in an emergency. You'll still pay taxes on:

? Batteries for motorized vehicles.

? Camp stoves.

? Camping supplies.

? Chainsaws.

? Plywood.

? Extension ladders.

? Stepladders.

? Tents.

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