The following was cross-posted on www.stopetaxes.com.

What a difference almost two weeks makes. 13 days ago HB 569, legislation that would have resulted in the nation’s first internet access tax, quietly saled through the House by a vote of 82-9. Since that vote ATR and other allies worked hard to educate senators, the public, and the media about the misguided nature and adverse consequence of this legislation.

After a lengthy and spirited debate in today’s Louisiana Senate Commerce Committee hearing, HB 569 was deferred by a 5-0 vote, essentially killing the bill in the legislative session’s waning days.

This development represents a huge victory for Pelican State taxpayers. Not only were Louisianans spared the threat of the nation’s first internet access tax, they avoided further squandering of their taxpayer dollars on what would have been an inevitable legal challenge.  As ATR has repeatedly pointed out throughout this debate, HB 569 ran afoul of the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, which was reauthorized by Congress in 2007.

With this coming on the heels of this week’s defeat a tobacco tax hike in the house, 2009 can be considered, overall, a fairly successful session for Louisiana taxpayers.