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Congress gives final OK to banning local Internet taxes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has voted to permanently bar state and local governments from taxing access to the Internet. The Senate voted 75-20 Thursday to give final approval to the wide-ranging bill, which also revamps trade laws. President Barack Obama is expected to sign it. The Internet tax prohibition has broad support, with few senators eager to oppose the election-year measure and open the door to taxing online access. Still, some lawmakers are unhappy over the trade provisions and because the bill left out a separate, more controversial proposal to let states force online retailers to collect sales taxes for their transactions. The bill would require the seven states currently imposing Internet access taxes to phase them out by mid-2020. They are Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

Congress votes final OK to banning local Internet taxes