Friday, March 28, 2008

House Concurrent Resolution 68

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

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

HC 68

Rep. George Flaggs has put forth House Concurrent Resolution 68. The resolution calls for the both the Senate and House to suspend the rules to consider HB 1013.

HB 1013 died in the senate when it was not brought up for consideration by the chairman of the Senate Public Health & Welfare and Finance Committees.

Friday, March 14, 2008

CALL THE CHAIRMEN




TAKE ACTION THIS WEEKEND!!!

Tell Chairmen Hob Bryan and Dean Kirby to let your senator vote on
HB 1013

CALL PUBLIC HEALTH & WELFARE CHAIR
HOB BRYAN @ (662) 256-9989

CALL FINANCE CHAIR
DEAN KIRBY @ (601) 932-1966

Thank you for your calls to the Lt. Governor and your support of a $1 cigarette tax increase. Your calls to Phil Bryant are having an impact on the status of HB 1013. It is vital that these two chairmen here from you on the importance of your senator being allowed to vote on HB 1013.

HB 1013 is the Medicaid technical amendment bill. The $1 cigarette tax increase in the bill would provide a dedicated source of funding for Mississippi's Division of Medicaid. The secure funding source- the cigarette tax increase-is much needed as the program is faced with a grave deficit. Without review of the legislation, thousands of children and elderly could loose their health insurance.

Over 630,000 of Mississippi's most vulnerable, the elderly and children, are at risk of loosing their health coverage if an agreement is not reached on Medicaid. The only viable option for a dedicated source of revenue to support Medicaid is the $1 cigarette tax increase. Medicaid and the cigarette tax must be addressed this session before legislators go home. Health care is too important to be loss in the game of politics!
H.B. 1013 is currently before the Senate Public Health & Welfare and Finance Committees.

Call Bryan and Kirby and tell them to LET YOUR SENATOR VOTE!!!

Senate chairmen should allow all senators to vote on a $1 cigarette tax increase and show their constituents how they stand on this important issue. The $1 cigarette tax increase would generate $174 million in new revenue while preventing thousands of kids from ever becoming smokers.

All senators should be given an opportunity to let their constituents know how they stand on this important issue. Committee chairmen should not make this decision in isolation. Chairmen should not pocket veto this bill by prohibiting their committee from voting. A vote by Senate committees is necessary and important to ensure that the democratic process works.

Tell Bryan and Kirby to LET YOUR SENATOR VOTE!

CALL THIS WEEKEND

HOB BRYAN @ (662) 256-9989

DEAN KIRBY @ (601) 932-1966

Friday, February 29, 2008

CALL PHIL


Ask the Lt. Governor to
LET THE SENATE VOTE!!!

H.B. 1013 has been referred
to the Senate Public Health & Welfare and Finance Committees.

Call Phil Bryant and tell him to
let the process work.

His Chairmen should allow Senators to vote on a $1 cigarette tax increase and show their constituents how they stand on this important issue.
Call the Lt. Governor @ 601-359-3200
Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Tell Phil Bryant to ensure there is:
Ø No Pocket Veto by his Chairmen
Ø A Floor Vote by the full Senate on a $1 Cigarette Tax increase

HB 1013 passed the Mississippi House of Representatives and is now before the state Senate Public Health & Welfare and Finance Committees.The measure contains a $1.00 cigarette tax that would raise $174 million in new revenue. These additional resources will be used to fund Medicaid, a health care safety net for our children and elderly, and a trauma care system

Call Lt Governor Bryant and tell him Let the Senate Vote. All Senators should be given an opportunity to let their constituents know how they stand on this important issue. Committee chairman should not make this decision in isolation. Chairman should not pocket veto this bill by prohibiting their committee from voting. A vote by Senate committees is necessary and important to ensure that the democratic process works.

Call the Lt. Governor @ 601-359-3200

Latest on HB 1013

HB 1013 Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare, Finance

After passing in the Mississippi House of Representatives by a 75-41 margin,
House Bill 1013 has been transmitted to the State Senate and doubly referred to the Senate Public Health & Welfare and Finance Committees. March 18 is the deadline for these committees to vote on bills originating from other chambers—which

The legislation is doubly referred because it encompasses both Medicaid and tax policy. The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee is typically the initial clearinghouse in the State Senate on legislation concerning Mississippi’s Medicaid program. It also a custom that legislation in the Senate concerning tax policy is referred the Finance Committee. However, the committee allocation of all legislation in the Senate is the purview of the Lt. Governor—Phil Bryant.


Senator Hob Bryan of Amory chairs the Senate Public Health & Welfare while Senator Dean Kirby of Pearl is his counterpart in the Senate Finance Committee.


Public Health and Welfare Hob Bryan, Chairman; Alan Nunnelee, Vice-Chairman Members: Terry C. Burton; Eugene S. Clarke; Bob M. Dearing; Joey Fillingane; Hillman Terome Frazier; Billy Hewes III; W. Briggs Hopson III; John Horhn; Cindy Hyde-Smith; Gary Jackson; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Tom King; Chris McDaniel; Nolan Mettetal; Willie Simmons; Bennie L. Turner; Lee Yancey


Finance Dean Kirby, Chairman; Eugene S. Clarke, Vice-Chairman Members: Sidney Albritton; David Baria; Terry W. Brown; Nickey Browning; Hob Bryan; Kelvin E. Butler; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Tommy Dickerson; Joey Fillingane; Billy Hewes III; John Horhn; Robert L. Jackson; Kenneth Wayne Jones; David Jordan; Tom King; Chris McDaniel; Nolan Mettetal; Walter Michel; Eric Powell; Gray Tollison; Johnnie E. Walls, Jr.; Giles Ward; Michael Watson; Lee Yancey

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

WLBT Sound Off: Medicaid Funding


"So do we tax our local hospitals, who heal the sick or the out of state tobacco companies, who make us sick? I think we all know the right answer. " -- Dan Modisett, WLBT General Manager.


Click Here: Sound Off: Medicaid Funding

WDAM Cig Tax Editorial