LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan Republican lawmakers are working to make online retailers collect the same sales taxes as brick-and-mortar businesses.
Republican Reps. Eileen Kowall of White Lake and Rob VerHuelen of Walker introduced "The Main Street Fairness Act" on Wednesday. The bills would require online retailers to collect a 6 percent sales tax at the point of sale and submit it to the state.
Kowall says the current "unfair advantage" for online retailers is hurting Michigan businesses.
Michigan Retailers Association chief executive James Hallan says more than two dozen other states have taken action to collect taxes on out-of-state and online retailers. He says waiting for a change on the federal level is "false hope."
Kowall introduced similar legislation last year, but it didn't make it through the legislature.
