Sen. Lamar AlexanderWASHINGTON – Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., today joined fellow lawmakers in reintroducing a bill that would allow all states to require online retailers to collect sales tax just like their “Main Street” rivals.
The idea isn’t a new one; a dispute between so called brick-and-mortar businesses and online sellers dates back to a 1992 Supreme Court decision.
Justices then declared a given state cannot compel e-retailers and other out-of-state retailers to collect tax unless they have an actual physical presence within its borders. The Marketplace Fairness Act would give states the ability to compel.
Similar legislation introduced last year attempted to “level the playing field,” as several proponents said today at a Capitol Hill news conference, but records show the Marketplace Fairness Act never left a Senate committee.
This year’s legislation carries the same title with a few changes. Identical versions have been introduced in the House and Senate, lawmakers said.