COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP): Ohio is offering its first-ever sales tax holiday in August to help back-to-school shoppers reduce the cost of clothing and school supplies.

A news release from the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants says 1.1 million children and 500,000 college students in Ohio will be returning to school this fall. The release also says that $88 billion will be spent nationally on back-to-school items.

The retail merchants group says similar holidays are popular in other states. The Ohio Legislature passed a law last year authorizing the holiday.