Initiatives announced this month by the Small Business Majority to help small businesses navigate and make the most of the Affordable Care Act include an online Health Coverage Guide and a series of webinars presented in partnership with the Small Business Administration.

At each of this year’s fall regional trade shows, the American Booksellers Association, with support from the Small Business Majority, will be offering a timely and informative educational session on the Affordable Health Care Act.

The Campaign for Reader Privacy — a joint initiative of ABA, ALA, AAP, and PEN American Center — called on Congress this week to pass legislation to restore privacy protections for bookstore and library records that were stripped by the Patriot Act as a first step toward reining in what the group calls “runaway surveillance programs.”

On Tuesday, July 2, the White House announced  a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act mandate that requires employers with more than 50 employees to provide healthcare coverage or pay a penalty. However, the requirement that all citizens acquire health insurance by January 1, 2014, has not changed.

If the U.S. House passes the Marketplace Fairness Act, it will trigger a lower state income tax bill for residents of Wisconsin and Ohio. The governors of the two states have signed budgets that would reduce income taxes if the House votes in favor of closing the sales tax  loophole on online purchases.

Utah celebrates Independents Week in a big way; Buthod named SIBA One Book at a Time organizer; Amazon’s tax affairs in U.K. deterring shoppers; LibraryReads launches this fall; Senators express concerns over Patriot Act surveillance programs; Authors lose class certification in lawsuit against Google; Hachette acquires Hyperion adult imprint; Ingram integrates Hachette Livre titles

On Monday, June 24, the Obama Administration announced it had kicked off its Health Insurance Marketplace (also known as exchanges) education effort with a new “consumer-focused” HealthCare.gov website, as well as a 24/7 consumer call center designed to assist Americans in preparing for enrollment in the health exchanges.

Given the intensity of opponents’ campaign against The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013, ABA is urging its members to contact their Congressperson.

School ban on Perks of Being a Wallflower overturned; Where’s Waldo? hits a milestone; U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey appointed to second term

ABA is urging bookstore members to reach out to their U.S. representatives in support of the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 (H.R.684). To make outreach easier, ABA has created a template letter.