Tennessee retailers will not collect sales tax on more than 150 different items during the 13th annual sales tax holiday the last weekend in July.

From July 27 through July 29, shoppers can save nearly 10 percent on clothing, school supplies and computers, as students prepare for the back-to-school season. State and local taxes will not be collected on clothing, school and school art supplies that cost $100 or less per item and computers that cost $1,500 or less.

The Department of Revenue wants to remind people that this weekend of savings is not exclusive to students or Tennesseans. Anyone who wants to shop in Tennessee during the last weekend of July will be eligible to save on sales tax.

“The sales tax holiday provides savings for families preparing to send their children back to school and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of this tax break on the necessary clothing and supplies before the start of the new school year,” Gov. Bill Haslam said.

State law provides for a sales tax holiday each year the last weekend in July. This year, the sales tax holiday begins Friday, July 27 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m.

“We want to remind Tennesseans about this savings opportunity. It’s available to everyone and only happens once a year,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.

For more information about the sales tax holiday, including a complete list of tax exempt items and frequently asked questions, please visit www.tntaxholiday.com.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2017 fiscal year, it collected $13.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

Drivers won’t have to have a physical copy of their car registration if they are pulled over by police.

The law will change July 1 to allow the driver to show proof on any electronic device, like your phone or tablet, as long as the document says the car is properly registered and issued to the owner or person driving the car.

“Beginning July 1st, not only can you have proof of your automobile insurance on an electronic device but you are going to be able to have any kind of photo saved in your phone that has your car insurance, your vehicle insurance, your registration for that vehicle, or if you have a hunting and fishing license, you merely just have to have a snapshot of that saved on your device and if you are asked to provide that to an officer you can do that through your electronic device whether it be phone, Ipad, etc,” said County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss.

Tennessee already allows electronic proof of insurance.

The new law states as follows:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

In addition to the provisions of § 55-12-139 authorizing a person to display evidence of financial responsibility through the use of electronic devices, a person may also display evidence of vehicle registration in electronic format. The electronic images shall state that the vehicle is properly registered and that a certificate of registration has been issued to the owner or operator of the vehicle. For purposes of this section, acceptable electronic formats include display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of portable electronic device. If a person displays the evidence in an electronic format pursuant to this section, the person is not consenting for law enforcement to access any other contents of the electronic device.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018, the public welfare requiring it.

DeKalb Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (d/b/a DTC Communications) will host its annual meeting on Saturday, September 15 at the DeKalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandria.

Directors will be elected in the Alexandria, Liberty, and Smithville exchanges according to “The DTC Connection”. The positions are currently held by Bennie Curtis in Alexandria, Randy Campbell in Liberty, and Ronnie Garrison in Smithville.

According to the bylaws, the board of directors will appoint a nominating committee to select nominees for the office of directorship for those positions whose terms expire in 2018. The bylaws also provide that any 15 or more members acting together may make other nominations by petition with the secretary at least 45 days before the meeting and these will be reviewed by the nominating committee to determine if the qualifications as set forth in the bylaws are fulfilled. Individuals interested in becoming a candidate for a director’s position must meet the qualifications and submit a petition by 5 p.m. on August 1, 2018.