Advocacy

On Wednesday, February 16, ABA member booksellers testified at hearings on sales tax fairness bills that would clarify existing state laws in Arizona and in Vermont.

Rather than comply with an assessment from the state of Texas to pay $269 million in uncollected sales tax, Amazon.com has announced that it will close its distribution facility in the Dallas suburb of Irving on April 12 and will cancel plans to build additional facilities in the state.

The North Carolina Department of Revenue has reached a settlement in the legal fight regarding the state’s request for sales data from Amazon.com in its efforts to recoup an estimated $50 million in lost tax revenue for online purchases.

Late last week, trade associations and Main Street businesses of all sizes, led by the Retail Industry Leaders Association, wrote to the Federal Reserve in support of swipe fee reform. More than 1,500 companies and associations, including ABA and NACS,  signed the letter.

On Tuesday, February 1, four ABA member booksellers braved threats of an impending blizzard and joined other retailers in a meeting with members of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s office to urge the governor to sign HB3659, sales tax fairness legislation.

Wendy Hudson of Nantucket Bookworks, Jakob Wolf-Barnett of Revolution Cycles, and Rick Karp of Cole Hardware discussed the advocacy process and how vital it is for independent bookstores during Legislative Day at Wi6.

With debate picking up in Washington over reauthorization of sections of the USA Patriot Act that are set to expire on February 28, the Campaign for Reader Privacy is urging supporters to ask their members of Congress to support the restoration of safeguards for reader privacy eliminated by passage of the act in 2001.

For the fourth year in a row, a national survey of independent businesses has found that those in communities with active “buy local” campaigns have experienced markedly stronger revenue growth compared to those located in areas without such initiatives.

A new study presented at the first-ever national meeting of leaders of independent, local, and community-based businesses has ranked more than 300 U.S. metropolitan areas according to the vitality of independent retail.

On January 6, the Illinois House of Representatives passed HB3659, legislation that contains a sales tax fairness provision. The bill, which was approved by the state Senate on Wednesday, January 5, will require remote retailers with online affiliates in the state acting as sales agents to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Illinois residents.

**Breaking News: As of press time, Bookselling This Week had learned that the Illinois House of Representatives passed HB3659. The legislation now goes to the Governor Quinn's office for his signature. The following article was written prior to the House vote.**

This week, in Illinois, legislation containing a sales tax fairness provision was introduced and was quickly – and overwhelmingly – passed by the state Senate on Wednesday, January 5. The bill, HB3659, moved to the House where it could be voted on as soon as today.

ABA is encouraging members to participate in the fourth annual post-holiday survey conducted by the Institute for Local Self Reliance in partnership with ABA and other indie business groups. The survey provides data on how independent businesses are faring in today’s economy, as well as about whether people are more aware and supportive of locally owned, independent businesses.

Last week, a second attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s expanded Form 1099 reporting requirement failed in the Senate.

Sales at Wi6 of a T-shirt featuring an “enhanced” version of the classic painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” will benefit the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.

Last week, President Obama signed into law a new ban on the sale of animal “crush” videos, which replaces a 1999 law struck down in April as a violation of the First Amendment. The new law applies to a narrower range of material, but it has raised concerns for ABFFE and other free speech advocates.