The following tobacco-related bills were introduced today, Friday, February 20th, in the West Virginia Legislature:
SB312 - Requiring smoke-free medical facilities
HB2681 - Eliminating the food tax, increase the tax on nonintoxicating beer per barrel from $5.50 to $6.35, increase the tax on cigarettes to $1.35, increase the tax on noncigarette tobacco products from seven percent to fourteen percent, and to dedicate the first $5 million of revenue to the Department of Agriculture’s crop transition program.
Bills are listed here for informational purposes only and no endorsement is to be implied. Clear the Air will review bills more in depth as they begin to move. To track these bills yourself visit the West Virginia Legislative website Bill Status page.
Tags: 2009 Session, bills introduced, tobacco, West Virginia Legislature
February 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
SB312 - This is an excellent bill that will keep patients, staff, and visitors to hospitals from exposure to second-hand smoke. It will cut maintenance, litter, and fire risks, plus encourage smokers to quit. These policies change behavior and help to increase productivity. All State Hospitals, Offices, especially DHHR/BPH facilities and offices need to also be sidewalk to sidewalk TOBACCO-free?? This legislation can play a positive role in facilitating much needed, broad health-related policy change.
See WV Hospital Association’s website for tobacco-free facilities at: http://www.wvha.com/Tobacco%20Free/index.htm