A comprehensive summary of all bills in the legislature in 2007-2008 regarding Smoking Bans and Tobacco Tax increases

Please note: bills starting with S originate from the Senate, H originate from the House

Smoking Bans:

S-103: Ban smoking in private school offices and anywhere outdoors on school property

Sponsors: Jackson, Lourie, Gregory, Fair, Ford and Knotts

Comment: Made it to house Judiciary Committee (passed Senate), can’t confirm, but have heard it passed House. About my only objections to this bill are a) teachers have nowhere to go to take a smoke break and b) parents cannot smoke in their own cars while waiting to pick up their kids if on school grounds.

S-185: Ban inside government buildings, no exceptions.

Sponsors: Gregory, Knotts, Elliott and Lourie

Other Declared Supporters: Larry Martin,

Comment: Stalled in Senate Medical Affairs Committee

S-186: What grew into the “compromise” that almost passed. This bill, still a great threat in 2008, will ban but allow certain places to license for smoking, if they have a booze license and forbid under-agers. Will preempt all local ordinances.

Sponsors: Gregory, Knotts, Lourie and Jackson

Comment: made it through Senate Judiciary Committee, but not acted on by Senate.

S-209: Comprehensive Ban

Sponsor: Elliott

Comment: Died on arrival at Senate Medical Affairs Committee

S-271: Comprehensive Ban

Sponsor: Ford

Comment: Died on arrival at Senate Medical Affairs Committee

H-3119: Smoking Ban – leaving private clubs and cigar bars alone.

Sponsors: Rutherford, Merrill, Haskins, E.H. Pitts, Cobb-Hunter,

Sellers, Brady and Cotty

Comment: Died in House Judiciary Committee

H-3639: Bill to erase pre-emption of state law

Sponsors: Skelton and Brady

Comment: In House Judiciary Committee

Tobacco Tax Increases:

H-3415: 30 Cent increase per pack, half used for smoking cessation and health care fund, the other half to general revenue.

Sponsors: Hosey and Jefferson

Comment: Died in House Ways and Means Committee

H-3562: 93 cent increase per pack, to fund a small business health care fund and, apparently, anything else they can think of.

Sponsors: Whipper, J.E. Smith, Rutherford, Jefferson, Sellers,

Bales, Brantley, R. Brown, Clyburn, Hosey, Mack, Williams and Bowers

Comment: Died in House Ways and Means Committee

H-3567: 30 cent increase per pack, to go into the general fund and (possibly) fund a groceries tax decrease.

Sponsors: Rice, Gullick, Cotty and Agnew

Those who voted for it in the House:

In Senate Finance Committee, raised to 50 cents by the committee and dedicated all to Health uses, including smoking cessation programs

Those who voted for it in the Senate:

Without a formal vote, the House, with little in amendment, pretty much concurred with it. It was then sent to the Governor, who vetoed it. Below is the record of votes from the House in trying to override the veto. These are the Guilty in the Senate who tried to override the veto. The override failed, thus this tax increase for 2008 is now dead. Whatever you might think of the original votes against us, the below people are committed to raising taxes on us, stupidity of use notwithstanding.

H 3152: 32 cent increase per pack, to fund a small business health care fund and several other general departments.

Sponsors: Agnew, Cobb-Hunter, Jennings, Littlejohn, Cotty, McLeod, Miller, Branham, Funderburk, Govan, Hodges, Vick, Ott, Bales, Sellers, Alexander, Bowers and Moss

Comment: Died in House Ways and Means Committee