Legislative Updates
MISSOURI
Tobacco Funding Survives First Budget Cuts: The House Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental health and Social Services met in February to make their recommendations to the House Budget Committee. The cuts to health, mental health and social services were drastic and will have a significant negative impact to many Missourians with special needs. Funding for the tobacco prevention program was held at the governor’s recommendation of $500,000, but the funding for the youth tobacco media literacy program in the amount of $200,000 was cut entirely. Please be aware this is just the first step in the budget process. All of these funds will be under attack.
Missouri Clean Indoor Air Act: Senator Joan Bray (D-St. Louis County) presented SB 904 to the Senate Judiciary, Civil & Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Monday, 2/22. SB 904 repeals Missouri’s current act and enacts new provisions, a comprehensive, statewide smoke-free policy. Testifying in support were Jason Sharp, B.S., R.T., Director of Radiation Oncology, Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla; Jeff Sanders, M.D., Central Missouri Cardiology; Nina Kiekhafer, M.D., a family physician with Jefferson City Medical Group; Mike Wadum, American Lung Association of the Central States – Nebraska. Mr. Sharp explained secondhand smoke, Dr. Sanders and Dr. Kiekhafer discussed the health harms of secondhand smoke, and Mike Wadum explained Nebraska’s comprehensive law and the benefits and success of this strong health policy in Nebraska. He also addressed the importance of why the health policy trumps the business rights and government intervention arguments. Dr. Potts, a member of the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians; Missouri State Medical Association; the March of Dimes, BJC Health System; Washington University, a member of the coalition of Independence, Missouri; a member of the coalition of Columbia, Missouri, American Cancer Society and American Heart Association testified in support. No one testified in opposition.
Sen. Matt Bartle, chair of the committee, is supportive of this bill and wants to vote on SB 904. Sen. Joan Bray, the bill sponsor, has asked ALACS and ACS to assist her in working the committee members to support SB 904 when it is brought up for a committee vote.
Jefferson City Clean Indoor Air Act: A comprehensive smokefree ordinance has been drafted by the Cole County Partners for Clean Indoor Air. This ordinance does exempt private clubs and retail tobacco stores, but this language has been narrowly defined. It is the position of the coalition members to provide these two exemptions in order to have the best chance for success. This draft language will be given to the City Attorney for him to put in Ordinance format, and for approval by the City Clerk to collect signatures. This ordinance will be by initiative petition, as the Jefferson City Council has not appetite to adopt an ordinance. In order to get a clean, comprehensive ordinance, the initiative petition route will be pursued. Eight hundred (800) signatures are required to put the initiative on the ballot. Coalition members and volunteers will collect the signatures and our goal is to have this initiative on the August 2010 ballot. More to come! Jefferson City is one of six Capitol cities that is not smokefree.
If you have any questions about the issues above or would like to get involved, please email Kathi Harness at kharness@breathehealthy.org.
NEBRASKA
Policy guidelines for management of students and children with life-threatening allergies were defeated on January 11. Senators cited a one-time cost of $46,000 as the cause.
The Nebraska Medical Association’s effort to bring health care reform to the state, through access to care, prevention and other principles was indefinitely postponed pending the outcome of national health care reform.
KANSAS
- HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act, is the main piece of legislation the ALA in Kansas will be focused on for the 2010 session. It is a bill that requires all public places, including bars and restaurants to be smokefree, it exempts private clubs and casinos. The bill has passed the State Senate and we are hopeful it will pass the House in 2010. Click here to ask your legislature to vote “yes” on this issue.
- Topeka just recently passed a comprehensive smokefree ordinance. The ordinance exempts 20% of hotel and motel rooms and tobacco shops. The local coalition and advocates have been working hard during 2009 for a citywide smokefree policy and their work has finally paid off. Topeka was the last major city in Kansas to pass a smokefree ordinance. This was a huge victory as we move forward on the statewide level for passage of the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act. Opponents of the ordinance are filing a petition initiative in order to weaken the ordinance.
- The ALA and KU Head Basketball Coach Bill Self have partnered to educate Kansans about the dangers of tobacco and secondhand smoke. He has recorded two radio spots which will run during each of the basketball games. The spots will address the importance of smokefree public spaces and the youth tobacco prevention.
To join the Kansas Advocacy Network and help with the fight for air please visit: http://lungaction.org/ala_ks_advocate/join.html.
If you have any questions about the issues above or would like to get involved, please email John Neuenswander at jneuenswander@breathehealthy.org.
