Effective July 1, 2020, Iowa law permits utility companies to utilize an inflow-outflow billing method for eligible distributed generation facilities. Under the inflow-outflow method, a generation customer is responsible for paying for the inflow kWh energy charge (sales to customer), while the amount of outflow kWh energy charge is credited to the customer (purchases from
sales tax
Missouri issues rulings on electronic medical records, associated software
In Letter Ruling 8095, the Missouri Department of Revenue determined that the electronic delivery of medical records is not subject to sales tax. The Department reasoned that electronically delivered information, regardless of the record’s original medium, is not taxable tangible personal property. The Department also concluded that the release of medical records to third…
Something to Keep an Eye On: Texas Comptroller Says Web-Based Services for Eye Doctors Is Taxable Data Processing
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts issued a private letter ruling concluding that several services provided to optometrists and ophthalmologists were subject to sales tax as data processing. Specifically, the Comptroller determined that the taxpayer’s web-based software system, which doctors use to manage patient relationships, schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and communicate about treatment, is a…
Don’t Throw Away Your Shot! Texas Court of Appeals Holds All Alternative Arguments Must Be Clearly Stated In Initial Refund Claim
The Texas Court of Appeals held that the trial court did not have jurisdiction over a taxpayer’s sales and use tax refund claim because the taxpayer failed to properly state the grounds for the refund claim. The Texas Tax Code requires that a refund claim: (1) be written, (2) “state fully and in detail each…
Colorado updates regulations concerning remote sellers and marketplace facilitators
On September 10, the Colorado Department of Revenue promulgated four sets of regulations related to remote sellers and marketplace facilitators. One set, adopts a special rule that establishes the sales tax requirements and conditions for sales made through a marketplace facilitator’s marketplace. A second set updates Rule 39-26-102(3) to clarify when a retailer is doing…
Massachusetts Appeals Court issues opinion favorably interpreting Internet Tax Freedom Act’s screening software requirement
On September 4, 2020, in New Cingular Wireless PCS LLC v. Commissioner of Revenue, No. 18-P-1317, the Massachusetts Appeals Court held that the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) preempted Massachusetts’ sales tax on New Cingular Wireless’ (NCW) Internet access charges. The court concluded that NCW satisfied ITFA’s requirement that it offer screening software…
For the Record – Corporate Record Storage Service Provided in New Jersey not Subject to New York Sales Tax
On August 18, 2020, the New York Supreme Court, Albany County, held that there was no rational basis for New York’s imposition of sales tax on storage services performed in New Jersey that occurred subsequent to the initial sale and pickup of items in New York. The taxpayer, a New Jersey corporation, operated corporate records…
Phoenix Travelers Aren’t Getting a Free Ride
Arizona’s Supreme Court unanimously held that the city of Phoenix’s fee increase on ride-sharing trips at airports are not “transaction-based” fees and therefore constitutional. In 2016, Phoenix’s City Council had amended its City Code to require commercial ground transportation providers to pay a “trip fee” each time drivers picked up passengers from the Phoenix Sky…
Rhode Island Governor Signs SSUTA Legislation
On June 24, the Rhode Island Governor signed into law S2650 Substitute A, which clarifies the state’s sales taxation of cloud computing and streaming digital products to comply with the Streamlined Sales & Use Tax Agreement. The bill amends the definition of a taxable sale to include any license, lease, or rental of prewritten…
New York Considers Requiring Rental Platforms to Collect Tax
The recently introduced SB 8627 would require short-term rental platforms to collect and remit sales taxes on behalf of the hosts on rental units leased outside of New York City. A similar measure was introduced last year but died in committee.



