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Florida lawmakers are close to finalizing a new state budget, and this year, attention is focused on a popular tax break for hurricane supplies.

Due to delays in finalizing the budget, the usual sales tax holiday for hurricane supplies has not yet been enacted.

The new budget includes a $900 million tax relief package, which would contribute to the disaster preparedness sales tax holiday. Lawmakers are still working on the specifics.

Since 2005, Florida has held disaster preparedness tax holidays, but only when lawmakers pass a bill outlining the rules. So far this year, no such bill has been passed.

"There's never a bad time to prep for a hurricane, you know, especially last minute people. There's, there's lines a mile long," said Josh Massing, an Ace Hardware store manager.

Last year, Florida held two tax holidays for storm supplies. During these holidays, sales tax was eliminated at certain times of the year on essentials like generators, gas tanks, and flood barriers. Stores report that this helps customers and keeps business booming.

"A lot of people think about what they need to get for before the storm, to help during the storm, but not a lot of people think about afterwards," said Massing. "It should help get for one to get more people in and be able to plan out their prep and get the supplies that they need."

If lawmakers approve the sales tax holiday as part of the budget, it will not be finalized Monday night.

Once passed by the legislature, Gov. Ron DeSantis will have about two weeks to sign the budget and issue vetoes before the July 1 start of the fiscal year.