As the Health Insurance Marketplaces opened for business this week, ABA made available on BookWeb the PowerPoint presentation “The Affordable Care Act: What the Healthcare Law Means for Your Small Business,” an overview that is being presented at ABA’s education session at each of the fall regional trade shows.

Last Thursday, Amazon affiliates in Maine began receiving notices informing them of the termination of their affiliate relationships as of October 6.

At press time, national media outlets were reporting that the Obama administration was delaying by one month online enrollment in the federally operated Small Business Health Options (SHOP) health insurance exchanges. Businesses can still enroll via fax, mail, or phone beginning October 1.

With states’ Health Insurance Marketplaces set to open for enrollment on Tuesday, October 1, now is the time for bookstore owners — and employees — to learn how health insurance reform affects them.

On Tuesday, September 24, the Board of Directors of the American Booksellers Association sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to avert a government shutdown.

ABA has launched a new BookWeb advocacy page focusing on the Affordable Care Act. The page offers state-specific fact sheets that provide key health care reform information and that point booksellers in the right direction if they have further questions or wish to enroll in their state’s exchange.

Banned Books Week (September 22 – 28) will again feature readers demonstrating their support for free speech in a Virtual Read-Out of banned and challenged books. This year, the Read-Out will serve as the backdrop for the announcement of Banned Books Week Heroes.

Four months after the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Marketplace Fairness Act, the U.S. House of Representatives is addressing the issue of sales tax fairness. On September 18, the House Judiciary Committee released its seven “basic principles” for sales tax fairness legislation.

As part of new regulations created under the Affordable Care Act, all employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act are required to notify their full- and part-time employees by October 1, 2013, regarding the availability of health care coverage, regardless of whether they offer health coverage or not.

In a surprising move, Amazon.com has reportedly withdrawn its request for a tax abatement and reduced building permit fees from Windsor, Connecticut, which it had asked for in exchange for opening a 1.5 million-square-foot distribution facility in the town.