By Staff
Special to The Standard
MONTGOMERY - Gov. Bob Riley on Tuesday signed into law legislation that creates Alabama's first statewide sales tax holiday for back-to-school shoppers.
The sales tax holiday - which will fall on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August each year - is expected to save Alabama consumers $3.3 million annually.  
The latest unemployment report shows Alabama with a 3.3 percent unemployment rate.
Riley called for instituting the sales tax holiday during his State of the State Address in January.  
It was sponsored in the House by Representative Mac Gipson, who has introduced legislation to create a sales tax holiday for three years.  
It's Senate sponsor was Sen. Zeb Little, and the bill had the strong backing of the Alabama Retail Association.
The three-day sales tax holiday in 2006 will fall on Aug. 4-6. It applies to: