‘Mississippi Second Amendment Weekend’ rewards sportsmen and sportswomen for their contributions
Sportsmen get a sales tax break during the first “Mississippi Second Amendment Weekend” that starts Friday statewide.
From 12:01 a.m. on Friday until midnight on Monday, most hunting equipment can be purchased without the buyer paying the standard 7 percent sales tax.
Senate Bill 2425, which passed both sides of the legislature with bi-partisan support and was signed by Gov. Phil Bryant, creates a tax-free holiday on most hunting equipment on the first Friday of each September through the first Sunday of each September.
This year, it could work out extremely well for migratory bird hunters.
The dove season in the North Zone opened on Monday, but this will be the first full weekend of hunting. And, the following weekend, beginning on Sept. 13, the early teal season starts.
“I’m gonna save some on dove loads, because I used up the two boxes I had on (Labor Day), and waited to get cases of shells until the tax break,” said Ronnie Johnston of Brandon. “I’ll be buying a couple of cases of 7½s for both me in 12 gauge and for my son in 20 gauge.
“And where it will really help is in my steel shot for teal and duck seasons. I’ll be loading up on No. 2s and No. 4s this weekend, that is for sure. At those prices, the savings will be substantial.”
Gov. Bryant calls it a reward for the over 425,000 licensed sportsmen and sportswomen in Mississippi, whose expenditures exceed $2 billion a year and produce about $70 million in tax revenue for the state’s general fund. It should be noted that no state funds are used to manage wildlife and fisheries in Mississippi — it’s all paid through license sales and federal funding from taxes at the manufacturing level.
Under S.B. 2425, no sales tax will be required on the retail sales of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies, “hunting supplies” described as “tangible personal property used for hunting, including, and limited to, archery equipment, firearm and archery cases, firearm and archery accessories, hearing protection, holsters, belts and slings. Hunting supplies does not include animals used for hunting.”
The sales tax exemption is allowed on eligible items transferred from a seller to a purchaser, and on items that are ordered and paid for by the purchaser from a seller who accepts the order for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the sale period (provided that the purchaser has not requested or caused the delay in shipment).
