05-R 071

2005 -- S 0792

Enacted 02/17/05

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

MEMORIALIZING THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OF THE STATE OF RHODE

ISLAND TO PASS A PERMANENT BAN ON INTERNET ACCESS TAXES

Introduced By: Senators Blais, Gibbs, Breene, and Algiere

Date Introduced: February 17, 2005

     WHEREAS, In 1998, and extended in 2001, Congress enacted the Internet Tax Freedom

Act in order to protect consumers that used the Internet and encourage more individuals to access

the Internet; and

     WHEREAS, The legislation eliminated taxes on Internet access, double-taxation of a

product or service bought over the Internet, and discriminatory taxes treated Internet purchases

differently from other types of sales; and

     WHEREAS, The moratorium on Internet access led to the rapid growth of the Internet,

which in turn brought good economic news; and

     WHEREAS, We live in an age of innovation, where the medium of the Internet is

sparking a sharp increase in entrepreneurship and opportunity, the likes of which have not been

seen since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution; and

     WHEREAS, Enacting a tax on Internet access will do significant damage to the United

States economy and decrease the standard of living for all Americans; and

     WHEREAS, On September 17, 2003, the House of Representatives unanimously passed

a permanent ban on all Internet access taxes, however, when the bill came to the senate floor, pro-

Internet tax senators used parliamentary and other underhanded procedural tricks to force

supporters of the legislation into negotiations; and

     WHEREAS, Opponents of a tax-free Internet used the negotiations to stall and stop final

passage of a permanent ban on Internet access taxes in order to achieve their true desire and tax

the Internet; and now, therefore, be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby memorializes the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation to pass a permanent ban on

Internet access taxes; and be it further

      RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.

=======

LC00078

=======