tion of such taxes when the transaction uses the Internet and when it does not;

(C) an examination of the impact of the Internet and Internet access (particularly voice transmission) on the revenue base for taxes imposed under section 4251 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(D) an examination of model State legislation that—

(i) would provide uniform definitions of categories of property, goods, service, or information subject to or exempt from sales and use taxes; and

(ii) would ensure that Internet access services, online services, and communications and transactions using the Internet, Internet access service, or online services would be treated in a tax and technologically neutral manner relative to other forms of remote sales;

(E) an examination of the effects of taxation, including the absence of taxation, on all interstate sales transactions, including transactions using the Internet, on retail businesses and on State and local governments, which examination may include a review of the efforts of State and local governments to collect sales and use taxes owed on in-State purchases from out-of-State sellers; and

(F) the examination of ways to simplify Federal and State and local taxes imposed on the provision of telecommunications services.

(3) EFFECT ON THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934.-Nothing in this section shall include an examination of any fees or charges imposed by the Federal Communications Commission or States related to

(A) obligations under the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.); or

(B) the implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (or of amendments made by that Act).

(h) NATIONAL TAX ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TAX PROJECT.-The Commission shall, to the extent possible, ensure that its work does not undermine the efforts of the National Tax Association Communications and Electronic Commerce Tax Project.

SEC. 1103. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] REPORT.

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall transmit to Congress for its consideration a report reflecting the results, including such legislative recommendations as required to address the findings of the Commission's study under this title. Any recommendation agreed to by the Commission shall be tax and technologically neutral and apply to all forms of remote commerce. No finding or recommendation shall be included in the report unless agreed to by at least twothirds of the members of the Commission serving at the time the finding or recommendation is made.

SEC. 1104. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] GRANDFATHERING OF STATES THAT TAX INTERNET ACCESS.

(a) PRE-OCTOBER 1998 TAXES.

(1) IN GENERAL.-Section 1101(a) does not apply to a tax on Internet access that was generally imposed and actually enforced prior to October 1, 1998, if, before that date

(A) the tax was authorized by statute; and
(B) either-

(i) a provider of Internet access services had a reasonable opportunity to know, by virtue of a rule or other public proclamation made by the appropriate administrative agency of the State or political subdivision thereof, that such agency has interpreted and applied such tax to Internet access services; or

(ii) a State or political subdivision thereof generally collected such tax on charges for Internet ac

cess.

(2) TERMINATION.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-Except as provided in subparagraph (B), this subsection shall not apply after November 1, 2007.

(B) STATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE TAX.—

(i) DATE FOR TERMINATION.-This subsection shall not apply after November 1, 2006, with respect to a State telecommunications service tax described in clause (ii).

(ii) DESCRIPTION OF TAX.-A State telecommunications service tax referred to in subclause (i) is a State tax

(I) enacted by State law on or after October 1, 1991, and imposing a tax on telecommunications service; and

(II) applied to Internet access through administrative code or regulation issued on or after December 1, 2002.

(b) PRE-NOVEMBER 2003 TAXES.

(1) IN GENERAL.-Section 1101(a) does not apply to a tax on Internet access that was generally imposed and actually enforced as of November 1, 2003, if, as of that date, the tax was authorized by statute and

(A) a provider of Internet access services had a reasonable opportunity to know by virtue of a public rule or other public proclamation made by the appropriate administrative agency of the State or political subdivision thereof, that such agency has interpreted and applied such tax to Internet access services; and

(B) a State or political subdivision thereof generally collected such tax on charges for Internet access.

(2) TERMINATION.-This subsection shall not apply after November 1, 2005.

SEC. 1105. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] DEFINITIONS.

For the purposes of this title:

(1) BIT TAX.-The term "bit tax" means any tax on electronic commerce expressly imposed on or measured by the volume of digital information transmitted electronically, or the volume of digital information per unit of time transmitted elec

tronically, but does not include taxes imposed on the provision of telecommunications services.

(2) DISCRIMINATORY TAX.-The term "discriminatory tax"

means

(A) any tax imposed by a State or political subdivision thereof on electronic commerce that

(i) is not generally imposed and legally collectible by such State or such political subdivision on transactions involving similar property, goods, services, or information accomplished through other means;

(ii) is not generally imposed and legally collectible at the same rate by such State or such political subdivision on transactions involving similar property, goods, services, or information accomplished through other means, unless the rate is lower as part of a phase-out of the tax over not more than a 5-year period;

(iii) imposes an obligation to collect or pay the tax on a different person or entity than in the case of transactions involving similar property, goods, services, or information accomplished through other

means;

(iv) establishes a classification of Internet access service providers or online service providers for purposes of establishing a higher tax rate to be imposed on such providers than the tax rate generally applied to providers of similar information services delivered through other means; or

(B) any tax imposed by a State or political subdivision thereof, if

(i) the sole ability to access a site on a remote seller's out-of-State computer server is considered a factor in determining a remote seller's tax collection obligation; or

(ii) a provider of Internet access service or online services is deemed to be the agent of a remote seller for determining tax collection obligations solely as a result of

(I) the display of a remote seller's information or content on the out-of-State computer server of a provider of Internet access service or online services; or

(II) the processing of orders through the outof-State computer server of a provider of Internet access service or online services.

(3) ELECTRONIC COMMERCE.-The term "electronic commerce" means any transaction conducted over the Internet or through Internet access, comprising the sale, lease, license, offer, or delivery of property, goods, services, or information, whether or not for consideration, and includes the provision of Internet access.

(4) INTERNET.-The term "Internet" means collectively the myriad of computer and telecommunications facilities, including equipment and operating software, which comprise the

interconnected world-wide network of networks that employ the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or any predecessor or successor protocols to such protocol, to communicate information of all kinds by wire or radio.

(5) INTERNET ACCESS.-The term "Internet access" means a service that enables users to access content, information, electronic mail, or other services offered over the Internet, and may also include access to proprietary content, information, and other services as part of a package of services offered to users. The term "Internet access" does not include telecommunications services, except to the extent such services are purchased, used, or sold by a provider of Internet access to provide Internet access.

(6) MULTIPLE TAX.

(A) IN GENERAL.-The term "multiple tax" means any tax that is imposed by one State or political subdivision thereof on the same or essentially the same electronic commerce that is also subject to another tax imposed by another State or political subdivision thereof (whether or not at the same rate or on the same basis), without a credit (for example, a resale exemption certificate) for taxes paid in other jurisdictions.

(B) EXCEPTION.-Such term shall not include a sales or use tax imposed by a State and 1 or more political subdivisions thereof on the same electronic commerce or a tax on persons engaged in electronic commerce which also may have been subject to a sales or use tax thereon.

(C) SALES OR USE TAX.-For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term "sales or use tax" means a tax that is imposed on or incident to the sale, purchase, storage, consumption, distribution, or other use of tangible personal property or services as may be defined by laws imposing such tax and which is measured by the amount of the sales price or other charge for such property or service.

(7) STATE. The term "State" means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(8) TAX.

(A) IN GENERAL.-The term "tax" means—

(i) any charge imposed by any governmental entity for the purpose of generating revenues for governmental purposes, and is not a fee imposed for a specific privilege, service, or benefit conferred; or

(ii) the imposition on a seller of an obligation to collect and to remit to a governmental entity any sales or use tax imposed on a buyer by a governmental entity.

(B) EXCEPTION.-Such term does not include any franchise fee or similar fee imposed by a State or local franchising authority, pursuant to section 622 or 653 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 542, 573), or any other fee related to obligations or telecommunications carriers under the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

(9) TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE.-The term "telecommunications service" has the meaning given such term in section 3(46) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153(46)) and includes communications services (as defined in section 4251 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).

(10) TAX ON INTERNET ACCESS.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-The term "tax on Internet access" means a tax on Internet access, regardless of whether such tax is imposed on a provider of Internet access or a buyer of Internet access and regardless of the terminology used to describe the tax.

(B) GENERAL EXCEPTION.-The term "tax on Internet access" does not include a tax levied upon or measured by net income, capital stock, net worth, or property value.

SEC. 1106. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] ACCOUNTING RULE.

(a) IN GENERAL.-If charges for Internet access are aggregated with and not separately stated from charges for telecommunications services or other charges that are subject to taxation, then the charges for Internet access may be subject to taxation unless the Internet access provider can reasonably identify the charges for Internet access from its books and records kept in the regular course of business.

(b) DEFINITIONS.-In this section:

(1) CHARGES FOR INTERNET ACCESS.-The term “charges for Internet access" means all charges for Internet access as defined in section 1105(5).

(2) CHARGES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.-The term "charges for telecommunications services" means all charges for telecommunications services, except to the extent such services are purchased, used, or sold by a provider of Internet access to provide Internet access.

SEC. 1107. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

(a) UNIVERSAL SERVICE.-Nothing in this Act shall prevent the imposition or collection of any fees or charges used to preserve and advance Federal universal service or similar State programs

(1) authorized by section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254); or

(2) in effect on February 8, 1996.

(b) 911 AND E-911 SERVICES.-Nothing in this Act shall prevent the imposition or collection, on a service used for access to 911 or E-911 services, of any fee or charge specifically designated or presented as dedicated by a State or political subdivision thereof for the support of 911 or E-911 services if no portion of the revenue derived from such fee or charge is obligated or expended for any purpose other than support of 911 or E-911 services.

(c) NON-TAX REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS.-Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect any Federal or State regulatory proceeding that is not related to taxation.

SEC. 1108. [47 U.S.C. 151 note] EXCEPTION FOR VOICE SERVICES OVER THE INTERNET.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the imposition of tax on a charge for voice or similar service utilizing Internet Protocol or any successor protocol. This section shall not apply to any