The American Veterinary Medical Association and 26 state veterinary medical associations called on Congress today to support the Marketplace Equity Act (H.R. 3179), which would force remote businesses, including online retailers, to collect and remit sales and uses taxes into states where they do business without regard to the location of the seller. The Marketplace Equity Act, currently pending before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, would end the prohibition on states from collecting sales tax from out-of-state businesses established by a 1992 Supreme Court ruling. Under the act, “small sellers,” or retailers with gross annual receipts under $1 million in the U.S. or $100,000 in a particular state or a larger amount as determined by a state, would be exempted from the rule. Brick-and-mortar businesses, including veterinary clinics, are required to charge and collect sales taxes on many items they sell. The prohibition on states from collecting sales tax from remote sellers created an unfair price disadvantage for many retail businesses, the AVMA contends. The American Veterinary Medical Association said it actively supports sales tax fairness for small businesses and giving states the authority to manage their sales tax laws. <HOME>
