As you know, tobacco control funding has been decimated by Wisconsin’s budget process. While most state programs were cut five percent, the tobacco prevention and control program was slashed nearly 55 percent. Every dollar cut from this funding means fewer kids being "immunized" from tobacco companies’ attempts to recruit new customers, smokers going without the resources they need to quit, and an even greater burden of tobacco on Wisconsin.
A bill has been introduced that would restore some of this lost funding.
The Tobacco Free Families Bill, authored by Rep. Jeff Smith, is currently circulating for co-sponsors in both houses of the legislature. If passed, the bill would lower the discount on tobacco tax stamps for tobacco retailers, generating some $2.4 million for the tobacco prevention and control program.
Bill process: Legislators can sign on to sponsor the bill July 31, 2009. The bill will then be turned in to leadership in the Assembly and Senate for a bill number and committee assignment. From there, the bill will likely go to a committee in both the Senate and Assembly, and then to the Joint Finance Committee. If passed out of the committees, the same bill must be passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the Governor before it becomes law.
Editorials and letters to the editor regarding the importance of program funding are highly encouraged.
For a fact sheet about the proposed bill click the link below:
http://www.tobwis.org/uploads/media/Poli-TobaccoFreeFamilies.pdf
To learn learn what you could do to support this legislation VISIT www.smokefreewi.org and click the "Take Action" tab.
For the list of current legislators who are co-sponsoring the bill, contact Emily at edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us
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