April 2013, Issue 33 Connect with us:

TECH ENTREPRENUERS   TECH WORKFORCE   INTERNET GOVERNANCE   GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

Tech Entrepreneurs 'Marketplace Fairness Act' Fails Small Business Concerns Interest is growing in the "Marketplace Fairness Act" recently introduced in the House by Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) and in the Senate by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY). This legislation would require businesses to collect and remit state sales taxes on sales of goods and services made into other states. For states that have a sales tax, the Marketplace Fairness Act is a good thing. But for businesses, this legislation will result in additional compliance costs, and these costs will disproportionately affect small businesses. Read more»   NY Court Ruling in Favor of Collecting Online Sales Tax Likely to Affect SMBs The New York Court of Appeals ruled in a case brought by Amazon and Overstock.com earlier this month. The court ruled that non-resident sellers offering products through a New York website will be required to collect New York sales taxes on sales made into the state. This collection requirement would apply even though the out-of-state business has no other presence in the state. In its ruling, the court analogized selling through a New York-based website to having a physical presence in the state. Read more»   Tech Workforce Gang of Eight Releases Comprehensive Legislation Bill Last week the Senate “Gang of Eight” released their comprehensive immigration bill titled, “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.” This legislation is the result of months of negotiating between Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-AZ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ). Read more»   Internet Governance Three Cybersecurity-Related Bills Passed by the House Last week, three cybersecurity-related bills were passed by the House of Representatives. Three in particular were introduced “under suspension,” meaning that these bills are generally considered less controversial and, as such, receive less time for debate but require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. All three bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Read more»   Will CISPA Protect Against Cyber Threats or Undermine the Fourth Amendment? Debate unfolded this week on the House floor on the bipartisan Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). Republicans in favor of CISPA argue that in the absences of adequate controls to share cyber-threat and attack information between the private and public sector, the U.S. economy will continue to be vulnerable to foreign espionage and theft of American trade secrets and intellectual property. On the other hand, Democrats largely led the opposition to CISPA. Read more»   Grassroots Advocacy Newark Mayor Cory Booker to Speak at Tri-State Area TechVoice Chapter Launch CompTIA, the Connecticut Technology Council, the New Jersey Technology Council, and the New York Technology Council are coming together to jointly host the launch of a Tri-State Area TechVoice Chapter on May 7th in Newark, New Jersey. Mayor Booker and Robert Feldstein of the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning for the New York City Mayor’s Office will discuss visions on technology policy and commentary on high-skilled immigration reform. Register today, walk-ins will not be permitted. Read more»   TechVoice SoCal Chapter Event Features Congressman John Campbell CompTIA, Irvine Valley College and the OC Tech Alliance are excited to host a TechVoice Chapter Breakfast featuring U.S. Congressman John Campbell (CA-45) on May 10th at Irvine Valley College in Irvine, CA. As the chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Monetary Policy & Trade and a member of the House Budget Committee, Congressman Campbell will share his insights on tax and budget issues vital to the growth and competitiveness of the technology industry.  Read more»   IN THE NEWS The Hill: Internet Sales Tax Advances After Obama Endorsement   Washington Post: Senate Immigration Bill Features New Start-Up Visa, Lifts Cap on Highly Skilled Workers   Politico: Make Cybersecurity a Top Priority   Read → Share → Sign Up Encourage your colleagues to sign up for free monthly policy updates! Forward this issue of Policy Watch to your co-workers and ask them to sign up.   Public Policy Contacts Elizabeth Hyman Vice President, Public Advocacy   Tech Entrepreneurs Lamar Whitman   IT Security David Valdez   IT Workforce Randi Parker   PAC and Grassroots Advocacy Matthew L. Evans CompTIA Worldwide Headquarters I CompTIA, Inc. 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 100 Downers Grove, IL 60515-5439, U.S.A. © 2013 CompTIA Properties, LLC, under license to CompTIA, Inc. All Rights Reserved. To read previous issues of Policy Watch, click here.