Mass. sales tax holiday nears approval

BOSTON (AP) - Consumers are one step closer to getting a tax-free August weekend of spending in Massachusetts.

Lawmakers announced a compromise on an economic development bill Friday that would let shoppers avoid paying the state's 6.25 percent sales tax on certain goods on Aug. 14 and 15.

There had been some doubt if the sales tax holiday would survive a legislative panel merging separate bills passed by the House and the Senate. The House approved the holiday as an amendment, but the Senate did not.

The compromise bill will need to win final approval from both chambers on Saturday before being sent to Gov. Deval Patrick. The governor said he would support the tax holiday because state revenues have exceeded expectations.

The state skipped the holiday last year for budget reasons.