Rep. George Flaggs has put forth House Concurrent Resolution 68, which calls for the both the Senate and House to suspend deadline rules to consider HB 1013. The Medicaid Technical Amendment bill, which contained a $1 cigarette tax increase, died in the senate when it was not brought up for consideration by Senator Hob Bryant, chair the Senate Public Health & Welfare and Senator Dean Kirby, Chair Senate Finance Committee before the March 18 deadline.
HC 68 urges the House and Senate to take up HB 1013 now and address the funding problem of a program that provides health coverage to a fifth of Mississippi's residents. Passage of the resolution to suspend the rules requires a 2/3rds vote.
HC 68 may be brought up by the full House of Representatives next week. Urge your representative and your senator to vote for the rules suspension so that the members of legislative both bodies are allowed to vote on this important issue.
You may remember that in last year's legislative session, an attempt in the state senate to suspend the rules to bring up legislation that would increase the cigarette tax by $1 fell a few votes short. A rule's suspension was needed after former Senator Finance Committee Chairman Tommy Robertson-at the urging of the governor- refused to allow the bill to be considered in committee. Robertson and several other senators who voted against the rules suspension are no longer in the senate. Robertson failed to be re-elected-due in large part to cigarette tax issue.
A $1 cigarette tax increase is a win, win for Mississippi. It would save lives and save money by leading to a reduction in youth smoking while supplying the state with a dedicated source to fund Medicaid.
Contact your Representative or Senator @ (601) 359-3770
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