Wisconsin Law Criminalizes Possession of Sales Tax ‘Zappers’

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed legislation Wednesday imposing criminal penalties for the possession, sale, or manufacture of “zappers,” software applications used by some retailers and restaurants to evade sales and income taxes.

The broad tax administration bill (SB 268), recommended by the Department of Revenue, also includes new authorities to boost the department’s regulation and enforcement of tax laws governing alcohol, tobacco, and the lottery. In a statement, Evers said the effort to modernize state tax laws in the face of new products and tax evasion methods “remains a priority for the safety of ...