Lawmakers push sales tax bill

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. lawmakers introduced a new sales tax bill designed to close loopholes that make it harder for small businesses to compete with online retailers.

The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 would give states the option to require the collection of sales and use taxes already owed under state law by out-of-state businesses, rather than rely on consumers to remit those taxes, lawmakers said.

"Small businesses and states alike are suffering from the inability to collect due -- not new -- taxes from purchases made online," U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said Thursday in a statement. "The Marketplace Fairness Act is the bipartisan, bicameral, common-sense solution that promotes states' rights and levels the playing field for our Main Street businesses rather than continuing to allow the government to pick marketplace winners and losers."

The bill introduced Thursday resolves differences between three similar bills introduced in the last Congress, Politico said. Opponents of the measure say the new bill imposes new taxes on online businesses.