Faced with a $439 million budget gap, state lawmakers are considering whether to cancel an annual sales tax holiday in August for the second year in a row.

Business owners, lawmakers, and retail industry representatives offered testimony at a hearing Tuesday at the State House.

Almost every August since 2004, lawmakers have granted consumers a two-day reprieve from the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax, in an effort to encourage local spending and give Massachusetts retailers a boost during a slow month.

The state has canceled the tax hiatus only twice: in 2009, at the height of the global recession, and last July, when lawmakers expressedconcerns about revenue shortfalls. A Department of Revenue report found that the state lost $25.5 million in forgone tax revenue from the last holiday in 2015.

The Joint Committee on Revenue heard testimony on four bills Tuesday: two that would make the sales tax holiday permanent, and, if those fail, two that would safeguard the holiday in 2017 and 2018.

Last week, the Retailers Association of Massachusettsurged members to lobby lawmakers to restore the holiday, particularly as they face increasing competition from sales-tax-exempt online vendors.

Anthony Goodh, who owns BoConcept furniture store in Cambridge, said his sales doubled in past years during the tax-exempt weekend, which he described as better for business than Black Friday.

Small businesses like his have come to rely on the holiday, Goodh told the committee.

No one testified against the bills Tuesday, but lawmakers are treading cautiously.

Beacon Hill leaders remain noncommittal, but Governor Charlie Baker told reporters Monday that he is open to the idea of a holiday this August.

“I think we should take a look at it and consider doing it,’’ he said. “It’s very tough to be in retail these days, and I think it’s something that’s worth consideration.’’

Claire Parker can be reached at claire.parker@globe.com. Reach her on Twitter @ClaireParkerDC.