Streamlining the sales tax

Twenty-two states, including Minnesota, are participating in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, an effort to simplify the nationwide patchwork of tax rates. In exchange, some retailers will collect online sales taxes in those states even if the companies have no operations there.

Eventually, if Congress goes along, the states could be allowed to force businesses that don't have a physical presence there -- such as online retailers -- to collect sales taxes.

The states with tax laws meeting the standards of the streamlining group: Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Three states support the project but have yet to fully adjust their tax laws or have those changes take effect: Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.