Advocacy

While the rollout of HealthCare.gov continues, bookstore owners with locations in more than one state can explore a couple of options for employee coverage.

The Kids’ Right to Read Project is urging district officials in Alamogordo, New Mexico, to reconsider the removal of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere from high school English classrooms and lessons. 

After recently announcing it would collect sales tax in West Virginia, where it has a customer service center, Amazon will be opening distribution centers — and collecting sales tax — in Wisconsin and Florida.

ABFFE is defending bookstores that have scheduled appearances by Stephen Jimenez, author of The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard (Steerforth Press). The book has been criticized for questioning aspects of a case that has come to symbolize hate crimes against gay men and women.

The International Council of Shopping Centers has released the results of a national poll that shows most Americans would prefer to pay sales or use tax on online purchases at the time of purchase, as opposed to filing it on their taxes.

A U.S. district court judge is expected to issue a ruling before mid-January on the proposed swipe fee settlement reached last year in a class-action lawsuit that is now in its eighth year.

As the Health Insurance Marketplaces opened for business, 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.