Advocacy

As the deadline arrived for public comments, indie bookstores, the Authors Guild, a group of nine independent publishers, and consumers and book buyers were among a final surge of concerned parties submitting letters to the Department of Justice to oppose the proposed e-book pricing settlement with Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster and to express support for the agency model.

The Supreme Court today held that the Stolen Valor Act, a federal law that makes it a crime to lie about having received military honors, violates the free speech protections of the First Amendment.

On Sunday, July 1, under the parameters of a deal struck with the Texas comptroller’s office, Amazon.com will begin collecting and remitting sales tax to Texas for purchases made by state residents from Amazon and its many subsidiaries.

The June 6 Children’s Art Auction and Reception at BEA, which was attended by more than 300 booksellers, publishers, and artists, raised nearly $30,000 to defend the free speech rights of young readers.

This week, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) urged his state’s U.S. senators to support the Marketplace Fairness Act, federal legislation that would allow states to require remote retailers to collect and remit sales tax in the state.

On May 30, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced that that the state had come to an agreement with Amazon.com that will have the retailer begin collecting and remitting state sales tax in exchange for opening two new warehouses in New Jersey.

ABA is encouraging its members to reach out to their state governors and federal lawmakers in support of sales tax fairness legislation currently under consideration in the U.S. House and Senate.

One of the highlights of the Children’s Art Auction and Reception on the evening of June 6 at BEA will be the live auction of five double-spread pages from the dummy photographed for Rosemary Wells’ forthcoming Max & Ruby’s Treasure Hunt.

In a ruling last week in Utah, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson held that people cannot be prosecuted for posting constitutionally protected content for adults on generally accessible websites and are not required by law to label such content that they do post.

In a letter to the U.S. Senate dated May 9, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder publicly announced his support for the Marketplace Fairness Act (S. 1832).

The New England Local Business Forum last week in Cambridge, Massachusetts, brought together partners in the book, bike, and toy industries to create a diverse environment for sharing innovative ideas and learning how to better grow local businesses.

Almost two years after the Durbin “swipe fee” amendment was signed into law as part of the sweeping Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Federal Reserve reported that the average interchange fee has nearly been halved.

The state of Texas has struck a deal with Amazon.com that will require the online retailer to begin collecting and remitting sales tax to the state for purchases by Texas residents beginning July 1, 2012. 

Last week, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) announced the state had worked out a deal with Amazon.com that would continue the online retailer’s sales tax advantage over Main Street businesses for another two years.

The June 6 Children’s Art Auction at BEA will provide added excitement this year when live bidding opens on several rare items.  An online preview of more than 70 mostly silent auction items is now live.