Legislation > Tobacco-Free Families (AB 381)

BILL NUMBER
AB 381

LEAD AUTHORS
Senators Fred Risser and Judy Robson
Representatives Jeff Smith, Chuck Benedict, and Sandy Pasch

OTHER CO-SPONSORS

Senator Lehman

Representatives Pasch, Benedict, Richards, Black, Hebl, Hixson, Hilgenberg, Berceau, Parisi, Mason, Soletski, Turner, Young, Roys, Shilling, Pope-Roberts, Clark, Sinicki, Zigmunt, Townsend and Spanbauer

DESCRIPTION

Currently, the state awards a fee to tobacco distributors for attaching the state tax stamp to cigarette packs.

When legislators increased the cigarette tax by 75 cents per pack in the most recent budget, the fee to tobacco distributors increased at a rate proportional to the cigarette tax increase – unnecessarily putting more money in the pockets of tobacco distributors.

With past cigarette tax increases, an adjustment had been made to this fee to prevent a taxpayer-funded raise to tobacco sellers. In the tightest budget in recent years, however, lawmakers rejected the adjustment.

The Tobacco-Free Families bill rolls back the unnecessary raise given to Wisconsin tobacco distributors and instead directs this funding (approximately $1.2 million per year) to the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, which was cut by 55 percent in the last budget.

ANALYSIS

Big Tobacco is working overtime to ensure a new generation of addicted users –  and we must fight back.

The tobacco industry spends $276.1 million per year marketing their products in Wisconsin. In contrast, the state’s investment in the Tobacco Prevention & Control Program is $6.85 million per year.

With the statewide smoke-free law only months away and the tobacco tax increase last fall, we must maintain the programs that help smokers quit and prevent kids from ever picking up their first cigarette.

Research shows that a fully funded tobacco prevention and control program is the most effective way to reduce the burden of tobacco on all Wisconsin citizens.

In states with successful tobacco prevention and control programs, each dollar invested saves more than $3.60 in tobacco-caused healthcare costs.

If you would like further information about the Tobacco-Free Families bill, please contact SmokeFree Wisconsin.

STATUS
The Tobacco-Free Families bill was introduced on August 18, 2009 and referred to the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC). A fiscal estimate received in October 2009 indicated that this would increase revenue to a critical public health program. The bill has not been voted on in JFC and therefore has not been considered by the full legislature.

TAKE ACTION

• Write a letter to the editor about the impact of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program on your community and what the 55% funding cut will mean to you. Tell your personal story.
• Reconnect with volunteers who spoke at JFC hearings and encourage them to share their stories with their legislators.
  

Updated February 15, 2010