With the proposal's sponsor pointing to benefits for consumers and businesspeople, a Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that would create a tax "holiday on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for small businesses.

The bill (SB 1236), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, mirrors part of a broader tax-cut bill that passed the House last week.

The measure would apply to small businesses on Nov. 26, dubbed "Small Business Saturday," during one of the busiest shopping times of the year. In the Pensacola metro area, retail trade makes up the lion's share of the businesses, according to research from the University of West Florida's Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development.

Small businesses are the heart of the Pensacola metro area's economy. Retail businesses account for 1,500 of the 9,050 businesses in the area — the biggest sector by sheer number. And of those, 1,314 — 88 percent — have fewer than 20 employees.

Customers would not have to pay sales taxes when they purchase items that cost $1,000 or less from small businesses. A Senate staff analysis said the bill would lead to $29.7 million in lost revenue for the state and $6.9 million for local governments.

The Finance and Tax Committee approved the bill, which is now ready to go to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

News Service of Florida contributed to this report.