Feb 10
Jan 28
Cuirrently under consideration by the House Health and Human Resources Committee is HB-2746 which would increase the tobacco excise tax by raising the tax on cigarettes by 65 cents per pack and increasing the rate on other tobacco products from 7% of the wholesale price to 14% of the wholesale price.
Higher taxes produce a decrease in the number of children who smoke. On this point even the public health advocates and the tobacco industry agree. Industry documents show that Philip Morris, a corporate giant in the tobacco industry, believes that when taxes are raised the overall number of people who use tobacco products decreases. Another large tobacco company, RJ Reynolds, has data that shows that if tobacco prices were increased by 10 percent then the number of teenage smokers would decrease by 11.9 percent.
According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, increasing West Virginia excise tax would mean 12,400 children alive today will prevented from becoming adult smokers.
In addition to preventing children from starting using tobacco a tobacco tax increase, as proposed in this legislation, would result in 8,500 current adult smokers quitting and and would prevent 2,700 smoking-affected births.
This proposed tax increase would generate nearly $100 million in new revenue and realize the state nearly $300 million in long-term health savings.
Contact members of the House Health and Human Resources Committee and urge their strong support on HB-2746. Contact information for members of this committee is shown below. Please phone and email legislators now!
Delegate Don Perdue – Chair
(304) 340-3269
dperdue@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Hatfield - Vice-Chair
(304) 340-3140
hatfield@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Border - Minority Chair
(304) 340-3136
bordel@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Miller, J. –
(304) 340-3147
jonathan@delegatejmiller.com
Delegate Campbell
(304) 340-3230
tom.campbell@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Eldridge
(304) 340-3174
jeffeldridge96@yahoo.com
Delegate Fleischauer
(304) 340-3169
barbaraf@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Lawrence
(304) 340-3152
lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com
Delegate Manypenny
(304) 340-3139
mmany@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Marshall
(304) 340-3900
chmarsh@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Moore
(304) 340-3189
cmoore@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Moye
(304) 340-3162
rickymoye@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Perry
(304) 340-3117
d.perry@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Phillips
(304) 340-3163
lgphill@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Poling, D.
(304) 340-3137
dan.poling@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Rodighiero
(304) 340-3154
rrodigh@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Spencer
(304) 340-3218
delspencer@aol.com
Delegate Staggers
(304) 340-3197
margaret.staggers@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Susman
(304) 340-3183
ssusman@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Wooton
(304) 340-3164
wrwooton@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Andes
(304) 340-3121
troy.andes@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Carmichael
(304) 340-3115
mcarmich@mail.wvnet.edu
Delegate Lane
(304) 340-3275
patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Miller, C.
(304) 340-3176
carol.miller@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Rowan
(304) 340-3157
ruth.rowan@wvhouse.gov
Jan 13
The following tobacco-related bills were introduced today, Wednesday, January 13th, in the West Virginia Legislature:
SB 24 - Forbidding tobacco products’ sale in pharmacies
SB 55 - Granting municipal courts jurisdiction over juveniles violating tobacco use laws
SB 56 - Increasing penalties for underage use or possession of tobacco
HB 2681 - Eliminating the food tax, increasing the tax on nonintoxicating beer, increasing the cigarette tax, increasing the noncigarette tobacco products tax..etc..
HB 2746 - Raising the excise tax on cigarettes and all other tobacco products
HB 2773 - Increasing the monetary penalties for selling tobacco products to minors
HB 2808 - Providing a procedure for removal of county, district or municipal officers
HB 2855 - Permitting the holder of a license to sell nonintoxicating liquors to determine the use or nonuse of tobacco products on the licensees’ premises
HB 2932 - Requiring the approval of board of health rules relating to tobacco use in public or private places
HB 3078 - Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standard and Fire Prevention Act
All House legislation on this list are carryover bills from the 2009 session. HB 3078, while introduced today, was actually passed in 2009 as a Senate bill.
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, clean indoor air, tobacco control, tobacco excise tax, West Virigina Legislature
Jan 10
Source: 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.
Every state that has significantly increased its cigarette tax has enjoyed substantial increases in revenue, even while reducing smoking. These funds have helped states balance budgets and fund essential services like health care and tobacco prevention programs. Contrary to tobacco industry arguments, cigarette tax increases are a reliable source of revenue. Higher cigarette taxes also save money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs.
Mar 25
Mar 25
And gone if not reported out of committee to the floor in one chamber of the West Virginia Legislature by Monday and passed by one of the legislative chambers by Wednesday. The legislature missing this opportunity will keep West Virginia’s tobacco tax as the 8th lowest in the nation.
Failure to pass the tobacco tax this year means tens-of-thousands of kids will not see price as a deterrent and will begin using tobacco products and many will be addicted for what will be a shortened life. The same can be said for the nearly 20,000 current users who would have quit had the tax increase been implemented.
Also lost will be over $100 million in revenue which could have been utilized to prevent and treat chronic disease in West Virginia and expand health coverage to low-income working people in the state.
There’s still time but it is quickly passing.
Contact you legislators and Governor Manchin in the next 24 hours and ask that they meet this deadline and keep the tobacco tax legislation alive by passing the bill from one chamber next week.
If the health impact does not move them then perhaps the full scope of the 4.6% budget cuts the Governor has announced should be fully understood before the tobacco tax is taken off the table this year.
Action now is critical because if not passed by the House or Senate by Wednesday the legislation is dead for this session.
Mar 03
The following tobacco-related bills were introduced today, Tuesday, March 3rd, in the West Virginia Legislature:
SB420 - Raising excise tax on tobacco products
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, West Virginia Legislature
Mar 02
On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Senate version of the tobacco tax bill (SB420) which was recommended by an interim committee will be introduced. As the House version of the bill (HB2746), this bill calls for a 65 cent per pack increase in the excise tax on cigarettes and a raise from 7 percent of the wholesale price to 14 percent for all other tobacco products. This bill is sponsored by Senators Prezioso, Foster, Stollings, Kessler, Jenkins and McCabe.
Senators Roman Prezioso, Ron Stollings & Dan Foster
Senators Evan Jenkins, Jeffrey Kessler & Brooks McCabe
The proposed legislation will be single referenced to to Senate Finance Committee.
The tax legislation is part of a package of bills recommended by Select Committee D after a year-long study of health care in West Virginia. Passage of the tax is essential to funding other proposed pieces of this package.
More importantly, raising the tobacco excise tax in West Virginia will reduce the number of young people who begin using tobacco products and will serve as a huge incentive for current tobacco users to quit. Research shows an overall 4 percent reduction in tobacco use with every ten percent increase in the price of the product.
Supporters of this bill should contact Senate Finance Committee members by telephone or email urging their support of the tobacco tax legislation (SB420). It’s best to do both - place a phone call and a follow-up email.
Finance Committee Members:
Senator Helmick - Chair - (304) 357-7980
walt.helmick@wvsenate.gov
Senator McCabe - Vice-Chair - (304) 357-7990
brooks.mccabe@wvsenate.gov
Senator Bowman - (304) 357-7918
jason.wazelle@wvsenate.gov
Senator Chafin - (304) 357-7808
truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov
Senator Edgell - (304) 357-7827
larry.edgell@wvsenate.gov
Senator Facemire - (304) 357-7845
douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov
Senator Fanning - (304) 357-7867
john.fanning@wvsenate.gov
Senator Green - (304) 357-7831
mike.green@wvsenate.gov
Senator Plymale - (304) 357-7937
robert.plymale@wvsenate.gov
Senator Prezioso - (304) 357-7961
roman.prezioso@wvsenate.gov
Senator Unger - (304) 357-7933
john.unger@wvsenate.gov
Senator Wells - (304) 357-7841
erik.wells@wvsenate.gov
Senator White - (304) 357-7906
randy.white@wvsenate.gov
Senator Boley - (304) 357-7905
donnaboley@suddenlink.net
Senator Facemyer - (304) 357-7855
karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov
Senator Guills - (304) 357-7959
jesse.guills@wvsenate.gov
Senator Sypolt - (304) 357-7914
davesypolt@wvsenate.com
These members need to hear there is a large amount of grassroots support to provide this important legislation the momentum it will need to be considered.
Please make your phone call today - even if you do not personally reach your legislators leave them a message requesting that they support the tobacco tax bill (SB420).
Feb 23
The following tobacco-related bills were introduced today, Monday, February 23rd, in the West Virginia Legislature:
HB2746 - Raising the excise tax on cigarettes and all other tobacco products.
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 tax, West Virigina Legislature
Feb 21
Percent decrease in youth smoking ~ 10.7%
Kids in West Virginia kept from becoming addicted adult smokers ~ 13,200
Current adult smokers in the state who would quit ~ 9,200
Smoking-affected births avoided over next five years ~ 2,700
West Virginia residents saved from premature smoking-caused death ~ 6,600
5-year health savings from fewer smoking-affected pregnancies & births ~ $4.6 million
5-year health savings from fewer smoking-caused heart attacks & strokes ~ $6.1 million
Long-term health savings in state from adult & youth smoking declines ~ $318.4 million
Projections are based on research findings that each 10% cigarette price increase reduces youth smoking rates by 6.5%, adult rates by 2%, and total consumption by 4% (but adjusted down to account for tax evasion effects). Revenues still increase because the higher tax rate per pack will bring in more new revenue than is lost from the tax-related drop in total pack sales. These projections are fiscally conservative because they include a generous adjustment for lost state pack sales (and lower net new revenues) from new smuggling and tax evasion after the rate increase and from fewer sales to smokers or smugglers from other states. Kids stopped from smoking and dying are from all kids alive today. Long-term savings accrue over the lifetimes of persons who stop smoking or never start because of the rate increase. All cost and savings amounts are in 2004 dollars.
Tags: tobacco control, tobacco tax, West Virginia
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