Government Relations News
ICANN Rejects Reconsideration Request Regarding “Strawman”
The recent rejection by ICANN of a reconsideration request regarding trademark protections in the "Strawman" proposal is an important development in enhancing the trademark protections in the new top level domain (TLD) program.
ANA Opposes Food Labeling and Advertising Restrictions in Connecticut
ANA has written a letter to the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives Brendan Sharkey expressing our strong opposition to House Bills 6519 and 6527, both of which are currently pending before the Connecticut House of Representatives.
FTC Rejects Request to Extend Effective Date of Revised COPPA Rule
The FTC has denied a request by ANA and eighteen other trade associations to extend the effective date of the revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule to January 1, 2014.
Update on Pending Privacy Bills in California
There are several online privacy bills pending in the California State Legislature that could have serious implications for all marketers.
Senator Schumer Set to Introduce Patent Troll Legislation
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has announced that he will introduce legislation to combat so-called “patent trolls,” or entities that purchase patents from inventors solely for the purpose of suing legitimate businesses creating or using products closely related to that covered by the patent.
Chairman Rockefeller Remains Critical of Digital Advertising Alliance Self-Regulatory Efforts
On Wednesday, April 24, 2013, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on the progress of industry self-regulation of online behavioral advertising (OBA)
Vermont Attorney General Targets Food Marketing to Children
The Attorney General of Vermont, Bill Sorrell, plans to target and look for new ways to regulate food marketing to children.
Ohio Governor’s Sales Tax Plan Dropped by House Republicans
The Republican leadership in the Ohio House released a revised budget bill yesterday that completely stripped out Governor John Kasich’s proposal to extend the sales tax to advertising and a broad range of other business services.
Louisiana Governor Backs Away From Sales Tax Proposal
In a short speech yesterday to the Louisiana Legislature on the opening day of their 2013 session, Governor Bobby Jindal announced he was backing away from the tax reform proposal he had offered last month.
FCC Asks For Comment on Indecency Policy
The FCC is asking for comment on the changes in its policy regarding indecency.
FDA Decides Not to Challenge Court Decision Tossing out Tobacco Warning Labels
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they would not seek Supreme Court review of the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that invalidated its rulemaking on graphic warning labels for cigarette packaging and advertisements.
IWG Report Still a No-Go Without Cost/Benefit Analysis
The Continuing Resolution passed last week by the Senate and House to fund the government through the end of September continues the prohibition on the FTC issuing a final Interagency Working Group (IWG) report until it performs a cost/benefit analysis.
Good News on Ohio Ad Tax Front
The House Finance Committee in the Ohio Legislature yesterday concluded three days of hearings on Governor Kasich’s budget and sales tax plan.
Louisiana Governor Proposes Tax on Advertising Agency Services; Update on Ohio and Minnesota
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal unveiled his tax reform proposal to members of the legislature yesterday. That plan calls for eliminating the income tax, increasing the sales tax rate from 4% to 5.88% and extending the sales tax to a number of business services, including advertising agency services.
DeFazio and Chaffetz Introduce Legislation to Combat Patent Trolls
Late last week, Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR/4) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT/3) introduced legislation that would deal with so-called “patent trolls,” a growing problem for the advertising industry.
Ohio Advertising Tax Hearings This Week
We have learned that the Ways and Means Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives will hold hearings this week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) on Governor John Kasich’s tax reform proposal which would impose the sales tax on advertising and a broad range of other business services.
ANA Opposes Ad Tax Bill in Minnesota
ANA has written to Governor Mark Dayton and the members of the Taxes Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives to express our opposition to any tax on advertising services.
Minnesota Advertising Tax Hearing on Wednesday, February 27th at 7 PM CST
The Taxes Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives will hold a hearing on Wednesday on Governor Mark Dayton’s tax reform proposal which would impose the sales tax on advertising and a broad range of other business services.
Updates on Ad Tax Threats in Ohio and Minnesota
Additional details have been released on budget proposals by Governors John Kasich (R-OH) and Mark Dayton (D-MN).
Marketers Face Ad Tax Threats in Ohio and Minnesota
Governors John Kasich (R-OH) and Mark Dayton (D-MN) have proposed new taxes on advertising and other business services as part of their FY14 budget package. In each case, the Governors have called for reducing the sales tax rate but broadening the base by extending the tax to more services.
