A bill to increase the cigarette tax $1 has been introduced this year. The bill would use the revenue generated by the cigarette tax increase for a children’s health security account and program. The bill has received its first reading in the House Health Policy and Finance comimttee and the Senate Health and Family Security committee.
Sponsors for House File 132 include Representatives Thissen, Tingelstad, Huntley, Otremba, Hornstein, Greiling, Slawik, Kelliher, Fritz, Hortman and Davnie. In the Senate, sponsors for Senate File 20 include Senators Solon, Hottinger, Rosen, Berglin and Lourey.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota is proposing a $1 cigarette tax hike to use the revenue to eliminate other health care taxes including the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association assessment, the insurance indemnity tax and the premium tax. Blue Cross calls this “revenue neutral” and believes Gov. Tim Pawlenty will support their plan because it swaps one tax for another.
Take Action!
Add your voice to the growing number of Minnesota voters and organizations that support a $1 cigarette tax increase to reduce smoking and save lives. Join the Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition Action Network to make sure your elected officials hear what you have to say. Let your state senator and representative know that:
- You support a $1 cigarette tax increase because it will reduce smoking, reduce the health care costs of tobacco, and save lives.
- Increasing the cigarette tax will help reduce youth smoking at a time when Minnesota does not have a comprehensive effort to prevent kids from a lifetime of tobacco addiction.
- Ask them to support a $1 cigarette tax increase for our kids.
Then, ask your employer, church or social organization to sign on to the Health Kids Minnesota resolution to increase the cigarette tax $1. Click here to download the Resolution to Reduce Youth Smoking.
