Wisc. Legislature Approves Download Tax

MADISON, Wisc. — Wisconsin lawmakers have approved a bill requiring a five-percent sales tax on Internet downloads including adult content. The tax goes into effect Oct. 1.

"This is not a straightforward issue and it's going to take some time to have the system up and running," Wisconsin House Majority Leader Tom Nelson said.

A representative with the Illinois Department of Revenue told reporters that Illinois looked into taxing the web as well, but opted out because of the difficulty of taxing businesses that don't have physical locations in the state.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has said that the tax — music, E-books, greeting cards and ring tones — will generate about $11 million over the next two years. The state is short almost $600 million for the budget ending June 30, and the next budget faces a deficit of $5.7 billion.

A similar proposal presented two years ago did not make it out of committee.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Italian Court in Aylo Case Limits International Reach of AV Rules

An Italian administrative court has ruled that Italy’s recently-enacted age verification rules for adult content may not currently be enforced against sites based in other EU member states, pending further procedural action under the EU’s Directive on Electronic Commerce.

OCC, FDIC Prohibit Use of 'Reputation Risk' by Regulators

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Tuesday issued a final rule codifying the elimination of ‘reputation risk’ from their supervision of financial institutions.

Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Age Verification Bill

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed AB 105, an age verification bill that would have allowed anyone to sue adult content providers for damages over alleged failure to age-verify users in Wisconsin, with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

FSC Releases Statement on Wisconsin Governor Vetoing AV Bill

The Free Speech Coalition has released a statement on Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' veto of the state's age verification legislation.

AV Bulletin: West Virginia Enacts AV Law, Ohio 'Innocence Act' Advances

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Woodhull Survey Reveals Concern Among Sex Educators Over AV Laws' Impact on Access

A national survey of sex educators by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation found that a majority of sex educators and sexual health professionals are concerned that age verification (AV) laws will negatively impact access to information and resources.

Clips4Sale Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of content platform Clips4Sale in a case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the site.

Pineapple Support, SextPanther to Host Stress Management Support Group

Pineapple Support and SextPanther are hosting a free online support group focused on stress management for performers.

Goddess Tangent Launches New Site Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Goddess Tangent has launched her new membership site, TangentOD.com, through Grooby's website management company Blue.xxx.

Show More