House backs 4-yr extension of Internet tax ban

HOUSE BACKS 4-YEAR EXTENSION OF INTERNET TAX BAN
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
The House of Representatives approved legislation on Tuesday to extend a moratorium on state Internet access taxes for four years, brushing aside calls by some lawmakers for a permanent ban. The House voted 405-2 to continue the ban, which is scheduled to expire on November 1. Attention now shifts to the Senate, where similar legislation has been stalled in the Senate Commerce Committee over a dispute on whether to extend the ban temporarily or permanently. The House vote provoked criticism from some lawmakers, including many Republicans, who said a permanent ban on Internet taxes is needed to spur more investment by broadband service providers. The four-year extension is backed by the National Governors Association. It includes a "grandfather" clause that would allow a handful of states to continue imposing Internet taxes -- those states that already had a tax enacted in 1998.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1618418020071016

* House votes to extend ban on Internet taxes
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-nettax17oct17,1,76773...