As expected, with passage by the House of the omnibus appropriations bill just hours before a midnight deadline Thursday, the Internet Tax Freedom Act, which dates from 1998 and established a moratorium on state and local Internet access taxes in all but a handful of grandfathered jurisdictions, was extended through September of next year so long as the Senate manages to pass the bill as well and prevent a government shut-down.
ISPs would have preferred a permanent moratorium, as a standalone bill introduced in this Congress would have created, but at least the moratorium did not expire, as it would have had no legislation been passed.
Not surprisingly, the Internet Tax Freedom Act Coalition, which had pushed for extending the moratorium, was pleased, but still wants a permanent moratorium.
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