Obama Signs Bill Banning Internet Access Taxes

President Barack Obama signed into law a trade and customs bill with a provision permanently banning state and local taxes on Internet access.

His signature on Feb. 24 marks the final chapter of a bill (H.R. 644) that was expected to be sent to the White House in December, but hit a snag when lawmakers on its conference committee inserted the Internet access tax language, known as the Internet Tax Freedom Act.

Some Senate Democrats objected to the ITFA provision, including Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who threatened to stall the measure on a procedural issue.

A provision in ...