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March of Dimes Greater Kentucky Chapter Supported Bill Passes
Each year, the March of Dimes focuses their efforts in public affairs on pieces of national legislation related to the benefit of pregnant women, mothers and babies. The Greater Kentucky Chapter also fights for the best interest of these groups in our state capitol. This support of March of Dimes staff and volunteers contributes to the acceptance of important bills by our State legislators.
Toward that end, we are proud to announce that House Bill 337, which relates to Medicaid reimbursement for smoking cessation treatment, with an amendment to provide Medicaid reimbursement for smoking cessation treatment interventions, including counseling and pharmacotherapies, has passed with no opposition out of the House and was received in the House on February 26th. Thank you to the supporters of this bill! If you have not done so please contact your Legislator in support.
Our efforts now focus on the passage of HB 324 (full description below), relating to the taxation of tobacco products and making an appropriation therefore. Please contact your Legislator in support. To locate your Legislator or Representative please visit the web site at www.lrc.state.ky.us/home.htm and click on “Who’s My Legislator”.
We look forward to more public affairs accomplishments in 2007! Keep an eye on the March of Dimes Greater Kentucky website for details on future successes.
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HB 324 (BR 1384) - M. Marzian, J. Draud
AN ACT relating to the taxation of tobacco products and making an appropriation therefor.
Amend KRS 138.130 to include snuff in the definition of "other tobacco products"; amend KRS 138.140 to increase the 26 cent cigarette surtax to 71 cents and increase the tax rate on other tobacco products to 32% effective July 1, 2007; amend KRS 138.143 to impose a 45 cent cigarette floor stocks tax effective June 30, 2007; provide that the floor stocks tax may be paid in three equal installments; create new section of KRS Chapter 41 to establish a children's dental fund and allocate moneys collected from the other tobacco products tax to the Department for Public Health to provide dental and oral health care and services to children under 21 and whose family income is below 250% of the federal poverty level; fund health care benefits and health insurance benefits for active and retired state employees and classified and certified public school personnel; create a new section of KRS Chapter 41 to establish a commonwealth fund to allocate moneys collected from the surtax to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for the provision of health care services, mental health and substance abuse services, and smoking prevention and cessation; allocate moneys to the School Facilities Construction Commission for building new schools or additions or renovations to existing schools in certain school districts; to fund veteran's nursing homes; to the Council on Postsecondary Education for the purpose of tuition assistance; to the Kentucky diabetes research trust fund; and the remainder to the General Fund; require each agency or organization receiving funds to report on the use of the moneys to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare and the Legislative Research Commission by August 30, 2008 and each August thereafter.
Feb 6-introduced in House
Feb 12-to Appropriations & Revenue (H) | |
