Jan. 20, 2011 - Assemblymember Nancy Skinner introduced AB 153 this week, a bill that would force "online-only, out-of-state retailers to collect a sales tax on items sold within California," according to the Sacramento Bee. This is the second time she has drafted legislation referred to by supporters as "e-fairness." Similar language was also vetoed out of a budget bill in 2009 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to the Sac Bee.
Skinner was joined by representatives from Barnes and Noble, California Retailers Association, California Federation of Teachers, International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association amongst others when she announced the legislation, according to a press release posted on her Web site on Tuesday.
During the 2009-2010 session, Skinner introduced AB 178 which received a robust list of organizations supporting and opposing. A list of some of the highlights can be found below. A full listing of support and opposition groups can be found on MAPLight.org's bill page by selecting the link that says "See Which Ones".
Organizations that supported AB 178 (2009-2010)
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
- California Association of College Stores
- California Business Properties Association
- California Federation of Teachers
- California Labor Federation
- California Professional Firefighters
- California School Employees Association, AFL-CIO
- California Tax Reform Association
- EcoHome Improvement
- League of California Cities
- Netflix
- Service Employees International Union
- Walnut Avenue Cafe
Organizations that opposed AB 178 (2009-2010)
- Amazon.com
- AOL
- California Broadcasters Association
- California Chamber of Commerce
- California Independent Grocers Association
- California Manufacturers and Technology Association
- California Taxpayers' Association
- Direct Marketing Association
- eBay
- Entertainment Software Association
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
- Internet Alliance
- Motion Picture Association of America, Inc.
- Overstock.com
- Recording Industry Association of America
- Silicon Valley Leadership Group
- Software Finance and Tax Executive Council
- Yahoo Incorporated
