News - Regional

In what is a significant victory for sales tax fairness, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn today signed sales tax fairness legislation into law. HB3659 will require remote retailers with broad networks of online affiliates in Illinois to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Illinois residents.

On Monday, March 7, the California Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard testimony regarding one of several sales tax equity bills expected to be introduced this legislative session. Speakers at the hearing included NCIBA Executive Director Hut Landon.

ABA will host a Booksellers Forum on March 30 in conjunction with SCIBA’s Spring Meeting and on March 31 in conjunction with PNBA. The Southern California meeting will also feature a Sales Tax Fairness Workshop, appropriate for all indie retailers in the state.

The national fight for sales tax equity garnered prominent media attention this week, even as Amazon.com threatened to terminate its affiliate marketers in California should the state pass e-fairness legislation.

Upcoming in March are ABA Booksellers Forums in Brown Deer, Wisconsin; Atlanta, Georgia; Salt Lake City, Utah; Manhattan Beach, California; and Lake Forest Park, Washington. Here’s a look at ABA’s program in Atlanta, in conjunction with SIBA, and in Salt Lake, in conjunction with MPIBA.

ABA’s 2011 Spring Forum Tour arrives in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday, March 3. The program, presented in conjunction with GLiBA, will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Big Hat Books & Arts.

This week, ABA announces the opening schedule for its 2011 Spring Booksellers Forums. The first forum will be held in conjunction with the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association on Thursday, February 24, at Katy Budget Books in Houston, Texas.

Study looks at buying habits of mystery readers; SBA offers disaster preparedness webinars; Australia’s Queensland bookstores affected by devastating flood; AAP names Andi Sporkin vice president, communications; Ingram’s CoreSource to provide e-content management for university presses; PNBA announces 2011 book award winners

The Board of Directors of the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association has named Laura Ayrey to succeed Lisa Knudsen as executive director.

On Friday, October 29, the Midwest Booksellers Association announced the appointment of Carrie Obry as its new executive director.