Missouri lawmakers have passed a sales tax exemption for Internet use.
House members voted 131-5 Thursday to send the bill to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. Senators earlier that day passed the bill unanimously.
Sponsor Sen. Will Kraus says there currently are no sales taxes on Internet access or use in Missouri. But he wants to ensure that doesn't happen.
Lawmakers ditched a provision aimed at ensuring sales tax exemptions for companies that provide telecommunications services and data analysis. Legislative researchers estimated enacting that provision would mean the state couldn't collect more than $900 million next fiscal year.
Instead, legislators blocked the Revenue Department from seeking those taxes until August 2017.
Kraus says he worked with the governor's office to craft language Nixon supports.
