Clear the Air

SB 362 Increasing the Tobacco Tax by $1 per pack of cigarettes is pending in Senate Finance Committee. Action is needed on Monday to ensure its passage this session!

The bill will help keep thousands of West Virginians from becoming smokers and make our state much healthier. The bill will save lives. It will also generate needed funds for public health priorities for the state.

The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free West Virginia is urging voters to call members of the Senate Finance Committee and ask them to pass SB 362.

There is the possibility that the provisions of SB 362 will be amended into SB 566 which deals with OPEB. The Coaltion for Tobacco-Free West Virginia is urging passage of the tobacco tax on its own merits as an important public health bill and feels it should not be drawn into a debate on employee and retiree benefits.

Please call the members of Senate Finance Committee and urge passage of SB-362 as it is currently written. Contact numbers for these members can be found here by clicking the members name.

The tobacco tax increase bills (HB-2973 & HB-362) are both currently pending in the House and Senate Finance Committees. In order to be considered for passage this year one of these bills needs to proceed from one of these committees by this Friday!

The American Heart Association has made it easy for you to email all of your legislators at one time and urge them to get behind this important legislation.

Click HERE to send your messages RIGHT NOW!

The House Health and Human Resources Committee on Tuesday approved HB-2973 to increase the tobacco excise tax and provide $27 million in funding to tobacco control efforts.

The committee considered, and rejected, two amendments.

The first, by Delegate Patrick Lane, would have inserted into the legislation language providing for drug testing of citizens receiving public assistance.  This amendment was debated for over an hour before being soundly rejected by the committee.

The other amendment, by Delegate Ryan Ferns, would have reduced the tax increase on cigarettes to only 40 cents. This amendment was also rejected.

The bill then passed on a roll call vote with Delegates Ferns, Border, J. Miller, Andes, Ellington, Householder, Lane, C. Miller, Pasdon and Rowan voting no.

The bill now moves to the House Finance Committee.

CNBC reports today that the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) has sent Acting Governor Tomblin a letter stating:

“West Virginia legislators will soon consider Senate Bill 362 and House Bill 2973, which would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 55 cents to $1.55 and the tax on smokeless tobacco from 7 percent to 50 percent of the wholesale price of each item. On behalf of the 5,894 members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) in the state of West Virginia, I urge you to veto any bill that increases state excise taxes and instead focus your efforts on cutting wasteful and unnecessary spending from the state budget.”

However, CCAGW has recieved large amounts of funding from the tobacco industry. The St. Petersburg Times reported that CCAGW got at least $245,000 from the tobacco industry and subsequently lobbied on its behalf.

Throughout its history, CCAGW has been accused of fronting lobbying efforts of corporations to give them the appearance of “grassroots” support.

A Senate Finance Committee investigating ties between CCAGW and other non-profits and lobbyist-turned-convict Jack Abramoff in 2006 stated in a report that the groups had ”probably violated their tax-exempt status by laundering payments and then disbursing funds at Mr. Abramoff’s direction; taking payments in exchange for writing newspaper columns or press releases that put Mr. Abramoff’s clients in a favorable light; introducing Mr. Abramoff’s clients to government officials in exchange for payment; and agreeing to act as a front organization for congressional trips paid for by Mr. Abramoff’s clients.”

News of CCAGW’s letter to Acting Governor Tomblin came on the same day the Associated Press reported that Tomblin spokesperson Jacqueline Proctor said that now may not be time for a tobacco tax increase.

Please contact Acting Governor Tomblin’s office at 304-558-2000 or toll-free at 1-888-438-2731 and urge him to stand with West Virginians - not with out-of-state special interest groups - by SUPPORTING the tobacco tax increase this year.

You can also directly email Acting Governor Tomblin from here.

The West Virginia Senate Health and Human Resources Committee today passed SB-362 which calls for increasing West Virginia’s tax on tobacco by $1 per pack for cigarettes (to $1.55 per pack) and to 50% of the wholesale price for all other tobacco pruducts.

The committee amended the bill as it was introduced by changing the dedication of revenues from the increased tax, estimated to be nearly $160 million, as follows:

- $50 million a yer for the West Virginia Retiree Health Benefit Trust Fund, which funds Other Post-Employment Benefits, or OPEB;

- $40 million a year for West Virginia Medicaid;

- $6 million annually for tobacco control;

- $1 million a year for the West Virginia School of Public Health for five years;

Additional revenues would be split up, with 30 percent going to oral health improvement programs, 30 percent to substance abuse and prevention, 24 percent to in-home elderly care and 16 percent for early childhood development programming.

The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.

The House of Delegates also has under consideration a companion bill, HB-2973, which is currently awaiting action by the House Health and Human Resources Committee.

You can send an email message to all of your legislators in support of this important legislation through the American Heart Association’s “You’re the Cure” Advocacy Network by clicking here!

Legislation to increase West Virginia’s excise tax on tobacco products (SB-362) will be considered by the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee at 1pm today.

This legislation calls for increasing West Virginia’s tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack to $1.55 and also increase the tax on other tobacco products (cigars, snuff, snus, etc.) to 50 percent of the wholesale price of the product.

As introduced, these bills also call for dedicating $27 million to tobacco prevention and education programs as recommended for West Virginia by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids , studies and experience in state after state show that higher cigarette taxes are one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking among both youth and adults. Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent.

Passage of the proposed increase in West Virginia would result in 19,100 young people being saved from becoming lifetime smokers, 13,100 current adult tobacco users would quit and 9,500 premature dealth from tobacco-related illnesses would be prevented.

Legislators need to hear from their constituents that they should support this legislation this year!

The tobacco tax legislation will be voted on TODAY by Health and Human Resources Committee members and it is important that you contact Senate  NOW and ask that they support SB-362.

Contact information for Senate HHR Committee members is as follows:

Senator Ron Stollings - Chair - (304) 357-7939 - ron.stollings@frontier.com

Senator Dan Foster - Vice-Chair - (304) 357-7866 - daniel.foster@camc.org

Senator Truman Chafin - (304) 357-7808 - truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov

Senator Evan Jenkins - (304) 357-7956 - evan.jenkins@wvsenate.gov

Senator William Laird - (304) 357-7849 - william.laird@wvsenate.gov

Senator Ronald Miller - (304) 357-7959 - ronald.miller@wvsenate.gov

Senator Corey Palumbo - (304) 357-7880 - corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov

Senator Roman Prezioso - (304) 357-7961 - roman.prezioso@wvsenate.gov

Senator Gregory Tucker - (304) 357-7906 - greg.tucker@wvsenate.gov

Senator Mark Wills - (304) 357-7843 - mark.wills@wvsenate.gov

Senator Jack Yost - (304) 357-7984 - jack.yost@wvsenate.gov

Senator Donna Boley - (304) 357-7905 - donnaboley@suddenlink.net

Senator Mike Hall - (304) 357-7901 - delegate200@hotmail.com

Make your voice heard and call or email these legislators TODAY and urge their support of SB-362!

A public hearing on HB-2973, which would increase West Virginia’s tobacco tax, has been schedule for Wednesday, February 16th at 9:00 a.m.

The public hearing will offer tobacco control advocates the opportunity to express their support of a tobacco tax increase with a dedication of a portion of the revenue to tobacco control efforts in the state. The hearing will be held in the House Chamber.

The House Health and Human Resources Committee will take up HB2973 which would increase West Virginia’s tobacco tax.

This legislation calls for increasing West Virginia’s tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack to $1.55 and also increase the tax on other tobacco products (cigars, snuff, snus, etc.) to 50 percent of the wholesale price of the product.

As introduced, these bills also call for dedicating $27 million to tobacco prevention and education programs as recommended for West Virginia by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids , studies and experience in state after state show that higher cigarette taxes are one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking among both youth and adults. Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent.

Passage of the proposed increase in West Virginia would result in 19,100 young people being saved from becoming lifetime smokers, 13,100 current adult tobacco users would quit and 9,500 premature dealth from tobacco-related illnesses would be prevented.

Legislators on this committee need to hear from their constituents before the 4p.m. meeting on Wednesday, February 9th they should support this legislation!

Contact information for committee members is as follows:

Delegate Don Perdue - Chair - (304) 340-3269 - don.perdue@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Barbara Hatfield - Vice-chair - (304) 340-3140 -  bobbie.hatfield@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Larry Border - (304) 340-3136 -  larry.border@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Jonathan Miller - (304) 340-3147 -  jonathan@delegatejmiller.com

Delegate Anthony Barill - (304) 340-3173 -  anthony.barill@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Denise Campbell - (304) 340-3145 -  denise.campbell@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Thomas Campbell - (304) 340-3280 -  tcampbell@grcs.com

Delegate Ryan Ferns - (304) 280-7133 -  ryan.ferns@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer -  (304) 340-3169 -  barbaraf@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Tiffany Lawrence - (304) 340-3152 -  lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com

Delegate Charlene Marshall - (304) 340-3900 -  charlene.marshall@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Cliff Moore - (304) 340-3189 -  clif.moore@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Ricky Moye - (304) 340-3162 -  rickymoye@wvhouse.gov

Delegate David Perry - (304) 340-3117 -  d.perry@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Linda Phillips - (304) 340-3163 -  linda.phillips@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Measha Poore - (304) 340-3248 -  meshea.poore@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Ralph Rodighiero - (304) 340-3154 -  ralph.rodighiero@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Margaret Staggers - (304) 340-3197 -  margaret.staggers@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Troy Andes -  (304) 340-3121 -  troy.andes@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Joe Ellington - (304) 340-3172 -  joe.ellington@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Eric Householder - (304) 340-3274 -  eric.householder@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Patrick Lane - (304) 340-3275 -  patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Carol Miller - (304) 340-3176 -  carol.miller@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Amanda Pasdon - (304) 340-3153 -  amanda.pasdon@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Ruth Rowan  - (304) 340-3157 -  ruth.rowan@wvhouse.gov

This bill will be taken up at the meeting on Wednesday, February 9th at 4:00 p.m. Phone calls to your legislators is prefered due to the short time we have to reach these members before they vote - but please CALL NOW and also FOLLOW-UP by email!

Legislation to increase West Virginia’s excise tax on tobacco products is currently awaiting action in both the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee and the  House  Health and Human Resources Committee.

This legislation calls for increasing West Virginia’s tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack to $1.55 and also increase the tax on other tobacco products (cigars, snuff, snus, etc.) to 50 percent of the wholesale price of the product.

As introduced, these bills also call for dedicating $27 million to tobacco prevention and education programs as recommended for West Virginia by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids ,  studies and experience in state after state show that higher cigarette taxes are one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking among both youth and adults. Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent.

Passage of the proposed increase in West Virginia would result in 19,100 young people being saved from becoming lifetime smokers, 13,100 current adult tobacco users would quit and 9,500 premature dealth from tobacco-related illnesses would be prevented.

Legislators need to hear from their constituents that they should support this legislation this year!

The tobacco tax legislation is likely to be worked on the Senate side first and it is important that you contact  Senate Health and Human Resources Committee members NOW and ask that they support SB-362.

Contact information for Senate HHR Committee members is as follows:

Senator Ron Stollings - Chair - (304) 357-7939 - ron.stollings@frontier.com

Senator Dan Foster - Vice-Chair - (304) 357-7866 - daniel.foster@camc.org

Senator Truman Chafin - (304) 357-7808 - truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov

Senator Evan Jenkins - (304) 357-7956 - evan.jenkins@wvsenate.gov

Senator William Laird - (304) 357-7849 - william.laird@wvsenate.gov

Senator Ronald Miller - (304) 357-7959 - ronald.miller@wvsenate.gov

Senator Corey Palumbo - (304) 357-7880 - corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov

Senator Roman Prezioso - (304) 357-7961 - roman.prezioso@wvsenate.gov

Senator Gregory Tucker - (304) 357-7906 - greg.tucker@wvsenate.gov

Senator Mark Wills - (304) 357-7843 - mark.wills@wvsenate.gov

Senator Jack Yost - (304) 357-7984 - jack.yost@wvsenate.gov

Senator Donna Boley - (304) 357-7905 - donnaboley@suddenlink.net

Senator Mike Hall - (304) 357-7901 - delegate200@hotmail.com

Make your voice heard and call or email these legislators TODAY and urge their support of SB-362!

Bills have been introduced in the West Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates to increase West Virginia’s excise tax on tobacco with a portion of the proceeds directed to tobacco control and other health-related programs.

SB-362 was introduced in the Senate by Senators Roman Prezioso, Dan Foster, Brooks McCabe and Acting Senate President Jeff Kessler and a companion bill, HB-2973, was introduced in the House by Delegates Delegates Don Perdue, Charlene Marshall, Barbara Hatfield and Nancy Peoples Guthrie.

Both bills call for increasing West Virginia excise tax on cigarettes by $1.00 to $1.55 per pack and the tax on other tobacco products from the current level of 7% of the wholesale price to 50% of the wholesale price.  The proposed legislation would also direct one-half of the tobacco tax revenues, up to $60 million, into a new fund to be known as the “West Virginia Healthy Future Fund”.  $27 million from the Fund would be transferred annually for tobacco prevention and eduction programs and the balance of the Fund each year would directed to public health, substance abuse or healthcare-related programs. Revenues beyond what is placed in the Fund would go to General Revenue.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids this legislation, if enacted, would generate nearly $160 million in total revenue and would result in a 15.4% reduction in youth smoking and 13,100 current adult tobacco users quitting.  In addition, West Virginia would see a long-term health savings of $458.7 million from these declines.

SB-362 has been referred to the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee and the to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

HB-2973 has been referred to the House Health and Human Resources Committee and the to the House Finance Committee.