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Tax-free Internet sales may soon be Web relic

Lawmakers look poised to act

By Michael B. Farrell

 |  Globe Staff  

  December 31, 2011

On the heels of a record holiday season for Internet sales, Congressional lawmakers are expected to take up two bills early next year to force Web retailers to begin collecting state sales taxes, essentially overturning a 1992 Supreme Court ruling that protects Internet megastores like Amazon.com and eBay from having to charge tax in states where they aren’t physically located. Even though online tax bills have been pushed before in Congress, support seems to be growing.

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