[caption id="attachment 451268" align="alignleft" width="141"] Rep. Lawrence McClure[/caption] A measure that would create a COVID-19 liability shield for businesses, schools, and religious institutions has cleared its final committee stop and is headed to the House floor. The House Judiciary Committee voted 14-7 on February 16 to approve HB 7 by Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Plant City. McClure said that even though a flood of COVID litigation has failed to materialize, the bill is necessary to reassure businesses that it won’t. “I’m not here to solve the courts being overwhelmed,” he said. “This bill is intended to give clarity to Florida businesses.” McClure repeated a promise that he has made in two previous committee stops to continue working with critics. “We’re not at the finish line, this isn’t a floor vote,” he said. “My door is open, and I hope that we can continue to work together.&rdq
Wednesday s Daily Pulse | 2/17/2021
Florida retailers plead for sales tax collections on e-commerce
Florida retailers are urging lawmakers to require out-of-state online retailers to collect and pay sales tax on products sold to Floridians, saying that could only help state retailers, who already must do so. Retailers say it’s not about what Florida gets out of expanding the collections; it’s about Florida companies not having to compete with those who don’t pay Florida’s sales taxes. They said Florida gives a 6-8% advantage to their out-of-state competitors who are told they should be paying Florida’s sales taxes but aren’t because they’re not forced to do so. [Source: Florida Politics]
By the committee agreeing to adopt three amendments proposed by Rep. Lawrence McClure of Dover, the House version is no longer is identical to its Senate counterpart.
Business Liability Bill Heads To Florida House Floor wuft.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wuft.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Opposition to a proposed bill affording businesses COVID-19 liability shields is coalescing into a formidable coalition while supporters backing the measure are also marshaling a mighty assembly to ensure its passage.