State & Local

  • February 03, 2026

    Md. Bill Would Replace Biotech Tax Credit With Grants

    Maryland legislation to convert a biotechnology tax credit into a grant program would simplify access to the incentive for investors in that sector, the bill's sponsor told a state Senate panel Tuesday.

  • February 03, 2026

    IRS Floats Clean Fuel Credit Rules With Foreign Restrictions

    The Internal Revenue Service released long-awaited proposed regulations Tuesday clarifying how domestic transportation fuel producers can qualify for the clean energy fuel tax credit under changes made by Republicans' 2025 budget law, including new foreign restrictions on business owners and feedstock sources.

  • February 03, 2026

    La. Museum Hotel Can't Get Full Tax Break, Panel Says

    The Louisiana tax board incorrectly found that a hotel operated by a nonprofit World War II museum was totally exempt from property taxes, a state appeals court ruled, saying only a portion of its use is for tax-exempt purposes.

  • February 03, 2026

    Pa. Gov.'s Budget Seeks To Tax Cannabis, Skill Games

    Pennsylvania would impose a tax on skill games and legalize and tax adult-use cannabis under the budget proposal delivered by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday. 

  • February 03, 2026

    Pa. Hotel's Complimentary Rooms Aren't Taxable, Panel Says

    A Pennsylvania company operating the Mohegan Sun casino in the Poconos does not owe $1.4 million in room rental tax that the county assessed on complimentary rooms during a two-year period, the Commonwealth Court ruled Tuesday. 

  • February 03, 2026

    Kansas House Intros Property Tax Relief Resolutions

    Kansas would put three measures out to voters that would create property tax relief if passed by the Legislature. 

  • February 03, 2026

    Md. Lawmaker Pitches Urban Agriculture Property Tax Credit

    Maryland would allow more properties to qualify for local-option tax breaks for urban agriculture under legislation pitched to a state House of Delegates panel Tuesday.

  • February 03, 2026

    Texas Revenue Rises By $48M Through January

    Texas' net general revenue collection from September through January was $48 million higher than in the same period last fiscal year, according to the state comptroller's office.

  • February 03, 2026

    Colo. Senate Votes To Expand Farm Tax Classification

    Colorado would loosen its definitions of farms and ranches to enable more agricultural producers to qualify for property tax advantages under legislation passed Tuesday by the state's Senate.

  • February 03, 2026

    W.Va. Revenues Through January Beat Forecast By $109M

    West Virginia's general fund revenue collection from July through January beat expectations by $109 million, according to the state Budget Office.

  • February 03, 2026

    Ala. Tax Agency OKs Regs For More Assessment Appeal Time

    Alabama taxpayers have twice the amount of time they previously had to appeal assessments to the state's tax tribunal or a county circuit court, according to amended regulations adopted by the state Department of Revenue.

  • February 03, 2026

    Ariz. Senate Bill Seeks Tax On Incomes Over $1M

    Arizona would charge a surtax to people with incomes over $1 million and spend the resulting revenue on school infrastructure under a bill introduced in the state Senate.

  • February 03, 2026

    Kan. Bill Would Increase School Property Tax Exemption

    Kansas would increase its school property tax exemption for 2027 under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives. 

  • February 03, 2026

    Kan. Bill Would Allow Liquor Tax Hike For Property Reduction

    Kansas would allow localities to increase their liquor tax rates if approved by voters in order to offset revenue losses from lowering property tax rates in the area under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • February 03, 2026

    Md. Bill Targets Tax Breaks For Nonprofits Supporting Terror

    Maryland would require state officials to determine on a regular basis whether any nonprofit organizations in the state provide material support for terrorist organizations and revoke the tax-exempt status of those that do under legislation in the state House of Delegates.

  • February 02, 2026

    Ariz. Plan To Require Supermajorities For Fee Hikes Advances

    Arizona's requirement for two-thirds support by the state Legislature for tax increases would also apply to fees set by state agencies if voters in November approve a ballot measure proposed in a resolution advanced Monday by a state Senate panel.

  • February 02, 2026

    OTA Says Calif. LLC Owes Tax On Fees, Not Escrow Funds

    Members of a California limited liability company do not owe additional tax on escrow funds connected with an exchange of property but do owe tax on a prepayment fee and legal fees connected to the exchange, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled in an opinion released Monday.

  • February 02, 2026

    Ariz. Panel OKs Bill To Codify Tax Form Conformity

    Arizona would require its tax department to produce income tax forms and instructions that assume state conformity with federal tax changes under legislation advanced Monday by a Senate panel.

  • February 02, 2026

    Spencer Fane Expands To New Orleans With Litigation Hire

    Spencer Fane LLP announced that an experienced Louisiana-based attorney from Phelps Dunbar LLP has joined the firm's litigation and dispute resolution team as a partner, marking the fast-growing firm's initial foray into the New Orleans market.

  • February 02, 2026

    Calif. OTA Accepts FTB's Lowered Market Value Of Corp.

    A California corporation that made an S corporation election should have its fair market value at the time of election lowered, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled. 

  • February 02, 2026

    Calif. Lawmakers OK Tax Break For Tribal Land Conservation

    Native American tribes in California would be eligible for a property tax exemption for land conservation efforts under a bill approved by lawmakers and headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

  • February 02, 2026

    Okla. Gov. Pitches Tax-Related Ballot Measures

    Oklahoma would ensure that it has enough revenue to continue cutting income tax rates and cap property tax rates under proposals for ballot measures offered by the governor Monday. 

  • February 02, 2026

    Del. Lawmakers OK Review, Revision Of Property Assessment

    Delaware would authorize New Castle County's Office of Finance to review and revise property reassessments for tax purposes if a mistake were made in the reassessment process or certain changes in value occurred under a bill approved by state lawmakers and headed to the governor.

  • February 02, 2026

    Ariz. Power Plant May Use Sale For Tax Value

    An Arizona electric power plant owner may use the purchase price of the company in calculating its full cash value for property tax purposes, the Arizona Tax Court said.

  • February 02, 2026

    RI Bill Would Establish Yearly Tax Amnesty Period

    Rhode Island would dedicate one week every fiscal year during which delinquent taxpayers could make outstanding tax payments without incurring interest or penalties as part of a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

Featured Stories

  • Ohio Justices' Tax Rulings Offer Blueprint For Sourcing Proof

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    Two Ohio Supreme Court decisions upholding gross receipts taxes on goods that were temporarily kept at Ohio distribution centers before being shipped elsewhere may have provided out-of-state businesses with crucial guidance about how to prove their sourcing positions.

  • Digital Services Taxes May Give Leverage In US Trade Deals

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    As President Donald Trump and his administration continue to negotiate with trading partners seeking to lower tariff rates, countries with digital services taxes could find those measures build some leverage with U.S. negotiators aiming to eliminate them. 

  • Florida Lawmakers Eye Property Tax, Housing Affordability

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    Real estate has found itself at the center of Florida's recent annual legislative sessions, and in what is shaping up to be a session full of intrigue, it will once again be a major focus in the just-launched 2026 edition, but with some new twists.

Expert Analysis

  • NYC Bar Opinion Warns Attys On Use Of AI Recording Tools

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    Attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools to record, transcribe and summarize conversations with clients should heed the New York City Bar Association’s recent opinion addressing the legal and ethical risks posed by such tools, and follow several best practices to avoid violating the Rules of Professional Conduct, say attorneys at Smith Gambrell.

  • 4 Quick Emotional Resets For Lawyers With Conflict Fatigue

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    Though the emotional wear and tear of legal work can trap attorneys in conflict fatigue — leaving them unable to shake off tense interactions or return to a calm baseline — simple therapeutic techniques for resetting the nervous system can help break the cycle, says Chantel Cohen at CWC Coaching & Therapy.

  • 3 Key Ohio Financial Services Developments From 2025

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    Ohio's banking and financial services sector saw particularly notable developments in 2025, including a significant Ohio Supreme Court decision on creditor disclosure duties to guarantors in Huntington National Bank v. Schneider, and some major proposed changes to the state's Homebuyer Plus program, says Alex Durst at Durst Kerridge.

  • Rescheduling Cannabis Marks New Tax Era For Operators

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    As the attorney general takes steps to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, operators and advisers should prepare by considering the significant changes this will bring from tax, state, industry and market perspectives, says Michael Harlow at CohnReznick.

  • Judges On AI: How Judicial Use Informs Guardrails

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    U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado discusses why having a sense of how generative AI tools behave, where they add value, where they introduce risk and how they are reshaping the practice of law is key for today's judges.

  • That Fellow Behind The Tree: SALT In Review

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    From an annual report on businesses' share of the tax load to calls for taxes on millionaires in Washington state and Rhode Island, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

  • Key False Claims Act Trends From The Last Year

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    The False Claims Act remains a powerful enforcement tool after some record verdicts and settlements in 2025, and while traditional fraud areas remain a priority, new initiatives are raising questions about its expanding application, says Veronica Nannis at Joseph Greenwald.

  • Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

  • How A 1947 Tugboat Ruling May Shape Work Product In AI Era

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    Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence test work-product principles first articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court’s nearly 80-year-old Hickman v. Taylor decision, as courts and ethics bodies confront whether disclosure of attorneys’ AI prompts and outputs would reveal their thought processes, say Larry Silver and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

  • Navigating Privilege Law Patchwork In Dual-Purpose Comms

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    Three years after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to resolve a circuit split in In re: Grand Jury, federal courts remain split as to when attorney-client privilege applies to dual-purpose legal and business communications, and understanding the fragmented landscape is essential for managing risks, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Cannabis Industry Faces An Inflection Point This Year

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    Cannabis industry developments last year — from the passage of a new wholesale tax in Michigan, to an executive order accelerating the federal rescheduling process — presage a more mature phase of legalization this year, with hardening expectations and enforcement to come, says Alex Leonowicz at Howard & Howard.

  • 4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

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    As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

  • The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

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    Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.