Booksellers Urged to Act in Support of Marketplace Equity Act

On Tuesday, July 24, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the Marketplace Equity Act (H.R. 3179).  The committee will hear comments from both supporters and opponents of the federal e-fairness bill, but no retailer witnesses will appear before the committee.  It is imperative that booksellers contact their representatives — especially if they are a member of the Judiciary [1]— to ensure their voices are heard in support of H.R. 3179. The hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

The Marketplace Equity Act would give states the authority to require remote online retailers to collect and remit sales tax to the state on in-state purchases. Importantly, the House bill has a small-business exemption of $1 million in remote sales nationwide.

To make booksellers’ outreach easier, ABA has created a template letter [2]that can be adapted and e-mailed, or be used as a source for talking points in a call to their rep’s office. Booksellers are asked to contact ABA Senior Public Policy Analyst David Grogan [3]if their lawmaker indicates support or opposition to the bill.