COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The South Carolina Senate has approved a compromise to bring Amazon and 2,000 promised jobs to the state.
Senators voted after midnight Friday to give Amazon a five-year exemption from collecting sales tax from South Carolina's online shoppers. In return, the company promises to create the full-time jobs with health benefits and invest at least $125 million through the end of 2013.
The company would begin collecting the tax in January 2016.
Opponents of the deal knew they were outnumbered from the onset. They put up more than 200 amendments to hold up a vote. The approved compromise requires Amazon to notify customers by e-mail they're responsible for paying the tax.
The Senate made changes to what the House approved last week, so the deal returns to the House.
