View source for Resolution to Oppose NCCUSL Effort to Rewrite the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act Exposed

The '''[[:media:8E5-Resolution_to_Oppose_NCCUSL_Effort_to_rewrite_the_Uniform_Division_of_Income_for_Tax_Purposes_Act_exposed.pdf|Resolution to Oppose NCCUSL Effort to Rewrite the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act]]''' was adopted by ALEC's [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force] at the Annual Meeting on July 30, 2004, approved by the full Board of Directors August, 2004. {{AEX2011}}

==ALEC Bill Text==

Summary

Current law mandates that a business has to have physical presence or nexus in a
state before that business is compelled to collect and remit sales and use taxes on
consumer purchases. Out of state tax collectors, however, have become
consistently more aggressive in demanding sales and use taxes from business that
may not have any physical connection with those states. Retailers who use
Internet advertising are being threatened by dubious foreign state taxation.
Moreover, websites that rely on advertising are inadvertently creating potential tax
collection burdens for their advertisers. ALEC’s Sales and Use Tax Collection
Protection Act is legislation that gives in-state retailers an important new tool to
protect themselves from unfair and costly litigation in an out of state court, against
a foreign tax administrator. This model bill simply gives an in-state business a
special declaratory judgment action, which a business can seek in the courts of the
state that will determine if that business has the requisite nexus, or physical
presence in another state that would justify the requirement to collect and remit
sales and use taxes. And in turn, that judicial determination must be honored in
other states courts under the “full faith and credit” clause of the Untied States
Constitution.


Model Legislation

{Title, enacting clause, etc.}

<u>Section 1. {Introduction}</u>

A proposal to amend the laws of {insert state} to
adjudicate constitutional nexus issues relating to sales and use tax.

<u>Section 2. {Declaratory Judgment to Adjudicate Constitutional Nexus}</u>

A. Circuit courts shall have original jurisdiction over civil actions seeking
declaratory judgment where:

:1. The party seeking declaratory relief is a business that (i) is organized under the laws of {insert state} or a sole proprietorship owned by a {insert state} domiciliary, or (ii) has qualified to do business in {insert state}; and

:2. The responding party is a government official or agent of another state, or political subdivision of another state, who asserts that the business in question is obliged to collect sales or use taxes for such state or political subdivision based upon conduct of the business that occurs wholly or partially within {insert state}.

B. Any business meeting the requirements and facing the circumstances described
in subsection A shall be entitled to declaratory relief on the issue of whether the
requirement of another state, or political subdivision of another state, that the
business collect and remit sales or use taxes to that state, or political subdivision,
in the factual circumstances of the business' operations giving rise to the demand,
constitutes an undue burden on interstate commerce within the meaning of Article
I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution.

C. For purposes of this section, Circuit Courts may exercise jurisdiction on any
basis not inconsistent with the Constitution of this state or of the United States.

<u>Section 3. {Repealer Clause}</u>

<u>Section 4. {Effective Date}</u>


Adopted by the Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force at the Annual Meeting, July 30,
2004. 

Approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors August, 2004.


Passed As Amended

Public Sector: 2 opposed 8 support

Private Sector: Unanimous