Maryland is one step closer to enacting the nation’s first digital advertising tax. This afternoon, the Maryland House of Delegates voted 88-48 to override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of House Bill 732, which would create an entirely new gross revenues tax on digital advertising services – display ads, search engine ads, mobile application
Legislative
State tax legislative proposals and activities
Another One: Proposed Montana Bill Would Tax Digital Advertising Services
A digital advertising tax proposal (LC 3237) has been drafted in Montana at the request of a Republican legislator. The bill, currently in draft form, would impose a new 10 percent tax on the annual gross revenues derived from digital advertising services in Montana on each person with worldwide annual gross revenue from…
Connecticut Joins List of States Attempting to Tax Digital Advertising Services
On January 29, Connecticut Rep. Josh Elliot, D-Hamden, and twenty-four other co-sponsors filed proposed HB 6187, which proposes to establish a 10 percent tax on the annual gross revenues derived from digital advertising services in the state for any business with annual worldwide gross revenues exceeding $10 billion. The proposed bill calls for…
A New York Budget State of Mind
In this episode of the SALT Shaker Podcast policy series, Partner Nikki Dobay discusses the recently released New York State budget with Michael Hilkin, Counsel in the New York office. There doesn’t seem to be a lot to see here for businesses, or is there? Although there aren’t any significant revenue raisers aimed specifically…
Webcast: 2021 Marketplace Legislation Update
State legislators have been actively proposing state tax legislation. In this webcast, Partners Jeff Friedman and Michele Borens provide an update on the latest legislative proposals across the country that will impact marketplace facilitators and sellers with Associate Sam Trencs.
Washington proposes tax on sales of personal information and data
On January 19, 2021, House Bill 1303 was filed, which would amend the Business and Occupation Tax to impose a tax of 1.8% on gross income of a business engaged in selling or exchanging personal data within Washington. The bill defines “personal data” to include any information that is linked or reasonably linked to an…
Strike Two-and-a-Half: California Court of Appeal Holds Voter-Initiated Local Special Taxes Not Subject to Constitutional Two-Thirds Supermajority Voting Requirement (Again)
On January 27, 2021, a California Court of Appeal in the state’s First Appellate District affirmed a San Francisco trial court decision which held the California Constitution’s requirement that local taxes be approved by a supermajority vote does not apply to taxes imposed by voter initiative. This is the second decision out of the First…
Antisocial Behavior: Proposed Connecticut Bill Would Tax Social Media Advertising Revenue
A “proposed bill” introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly (No. 5645) proposes the establishment of a tax on “social media provider companies,” which would be measured by “apportioned annual gross revenue derived from social media advertising services” in Connecticut. The proposed bill calls for the revenue from such tax to be partially dedicated…
Kansas governor proposes sales tax on digital products and marketplace facilitator tax collection
On January 13, 2021, the governor of Kansas released her budget report for fiscal year 2022, which would require marketplace facilitators to begin collecting retail sales and compensating use taxes on sales to Kansas customers on July 1, 2021. The budget also contains a proposal to impose sales tax on all sales of digital property…
New York State Assembly proposes surcharge on delivery transactions
On January 11, 2021, the New York State Assembly introduced A.B. 1612, which would impose a three dollar ($3.00) surcharge on each delivery transaction where the delivery is made within New York City. The surcharge would not apply to deliveries of food or essential medical supplies. Liability for the surcharge would be imposed on…



