State & Local
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May 14, 2024
Ga. General Fund Receipts Through April Down $341M
Georgia's general fund receipts from July through April dropped $341 million from the same period last year, according to the state's Department of Revenue.
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May 14, 2024
Ex-Whiteford Taylor Business Co-Chair Joins Baker Donelson
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has welcomed a new shareholder who spent more than a decade with the Internal Revenue Service and previously co-chaired Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP's business department, the firm announced on Monday.
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May 13, 2024
Corp. Transparency Act An Overbroad Dragnet, 11th Circ. Told
Congress exceeded its authority in passing the Corporate Transparency Act, which prompted the U.S. Treasury Department to solicit personal information for law enforcement purposes from those that registered and owned state-registered entities, a small-business group told the Eleventh Circuit on Monday.
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May 13, 2024
Alaska House Passes Bill To Levy 7% Marijuana Retail Tax
Alaska would update its marijuana tax regime by levying a 7% tax on sales and phasing out the current $50 per ounce excise tax as part of a bill passed by the state House of Representatives.
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May 13, 2024
NY Appeals Court Upholds Fuel Distributor's Tax Bill
A fuel distributor isn't entitled to a refund of New York taxes paid on 13.8 million gallons of fuel delivered to Citgo because the distributor failed to prove the taxes were paid twice, a state appeals court ruled.
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May 13, 2024
Colo. Lawmakers OK Agricultural Stewardship Tax Credits
Colorado farms and ranches using certain agricultural stewardship practices would be eligible for tax credits of up to $300,000 under a bill approved by state lawmakers and headed to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 13, 2024
Okla. To Allow 1% Local Sales Tax For Medical Service Funds
Oklahoma counties will be able to levy a sales tax of up to 1% to fund emergency medical services with voter approval under a bill signed by the governor.
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May 13, 2024
Mass. Tax Board Rejects Plea To Cut Home Valuation
A Massachusetts homeowner's argument that his property was overvalued because its assessment increased by a higher percentage than those of neighboring properties was rejected by the state's tax appeals board in a decision released Monday.
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May 13, 2024
Ohio Revenue Through April $1.1B Under Projection
Ohio general revenue collection from July through April trailed budget estimates by $1.1 billion, according to a monthly report by the state Office of Budget and Management.
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May 13, 2024
Calif. Total Receipts Through April Drop $4.8B From Estimates
California's total receipts from July through April sank $4.8 billion from the governor's 2024-2025 budget, according to a monthly report by the state controller.
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May 13, 2024
Ind. General Revenues Beat Budget Estimates By $23M
Indiana's total general fund revenues in July through April were roughly $23 million higher than budget forecasts, according to a report by the State Budget Agency.
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May 13, 2024
NY Bill Seeks Property Tax Break For Upgrades To Cut Carbon
New York would create a property tax exemption for capital improvements made to residential property for the purpose of reducing carbon emissions under a bill introduced in the state Assembly.
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May 13, 2024
Tennessee Giving $1.6B In Corporate Franchise Tax Refunds
Tennessee will issue nearly $1.6 billion in corporate franchise tax refunds and cut the tax by about $400 million annually going forward under legislation signed into law by the governor.
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May 13, 2024
Ky. General Revenue Collection Up $461M From Last Year
Kentucky general revenue collection from July through April grew $461 million from the last fiscal year, according to a monthly report from the Office of State Budget Director.
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May 13, 2024
NJ Panel Seeks Oral Healthcare Product Tax Break In Compact
A New Jersey Assembly committee advanced a resolution Monday pushing for an amendment to the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement that would allow states to exempt oral healthcare products from sales tax.
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May 10, 2024
Ill. Remote Seller Rules Violate Wayfair, Calif. Seller Claims
A California-based business argued that Illinois' remote seller system presents unconstitutional burdens, telling the state tax tribunal that Illinois' varying sourcing rules and the quick pace by which it adopted economic nexus violate the U.S. Constitution's commerce clause.
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May 10, 2024
Nev. Tax Commission Floats Updated Regs For Remote Sellers
Nevada would clarify sales tax collection requirements imposed on remote sellers, marketplace sellers and marketplace facilitators under regulatory changes proposed by the state Tax Commission.
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May 10, 2024
Newsom Says No Tax Increases Planned In Calif. Budget
California would not increase taxes or impose new taxes under a revised budget plan presented Friday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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May 10, 2024
Ore. Court Drops Tax Value Of Rural Property
The Oregon Tax Court lowered the real market valuation of a rural property with outbuildings used for storage of a car collection, relying partially on the owner's cost approach to the value.
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May 10, 2024
Miss. To Lower Sales Tax Rate For Oil Cos.' Purchases
Mississippi will reduce the sales tax rate for equipment and services used to drill, survey or explore for oil, natural gas and other minerals to 4.5% as part of a bill signed by the governor.
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May 10, 2024
Colo. Lawmakers OK Quantum Tech Investment Tax Credits
Colorado would create a pair of tax credits to promote investment in quantum technology development facilities by entities receiving certain federal grants under legislation passed by the state Senate and heading to the governor.
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May 10, 2024
NY Senate Bill Seeks Excise Tax On To-Go Alcohol
New York would impose a 5% excise tax on sales of to-go alcoholic drinks under a bill introduced in the state Senate, with funds from the tax to be put toward substance use education and treatment programs.
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May 10, 2024
SD General Revenues Through April Up $24M Over Estimates
South Dakota's general revenue collection was up roughly $24 million over budget estimates from July through April, according to a monthly report by the state Bureau of Finance and Management.
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May 10, 2024
Use Of AI For Tax Comment Letters Poses Ethical Quandaries
While artificial intelligence can streamline the process of conducting a comprehensive review of complex, IRS-proposed federal tax regulations, tax attorneys must be aware of professional and ethical considerations when using it to help draft comment letters to submit to the agency.
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May 10, 2024
Mo. Net Revenue Collection Through April Up $280M
Missouri's net general revenue collection from July through April was $280 million higher than in the previous fiscal year, according to a report by the state Office of Administration, Division of Budget and Planning.
Expert Analysis
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General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI
With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.
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Kentucky Tax Talk: Clash Over Industrial Supplies Exemption
Recent legislative testimony in Kentucky may cause another battle over the state's sales tax exemptions for industrial supplies, even though the testimony appears to mischaracterize the impact of a major state court ruling that upheld the exemptions, say attorneys at Frost Brown.
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Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information
As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.
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Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD
Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.
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A Ministry Of Silly Ideas: SALT In Review
From proposals before a District of Columbia tax revision panel to the defeat of an income tax cut in North Dakota, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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What Ariz. Ruling Means For Taxation Of Digital Services
The Arizona Supreme Court recently declined to review ADP v. Arizona Department of Revenue, letting stand a state appeals court's ruling that software as a service is a taxable rental of tangible personal property, essentially granting the department of revenue power to tax all digital services, say Karen Lowell and Pat Derdenger at Lewis Roca.
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Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence
Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes
Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.
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Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys
Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.
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The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'
The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.
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Permanence And Other Elusive Notions: SALT In Review
From a Michigan income tax that may or may not be permanent to a victory in court for online travel companies, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform
The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.
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How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing
Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.