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March CT Advocacy Update

March 8, 2011

 

American Cancer Society

Government Relations and Advocacy Update

March 2011

 

Hello from sunny and warm Hartford!  The legislative session is in full swing and I have much to report!

 

Governor’s Budget

Governor Dannel Malloy released his first budget on February 16 and it has a little that everyone likes, a little everyone hates and a lot in the middle. The Governor has been refreshingly open and candid about the need to spread the pain around and not rely solely on tax increases or cuts in services.  To put some perspective on it, the deficit is so large ($3.7 billion out of a $18 billion dollar budget) that the state could opt to not spend a single penny on education and fire 15,000 state employees making $50,000 a year and we would still have a deficit of over a hundred million.

 

The bad news:

The state Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program was reduced in the budget from $2.4 million dollars to $2.1 million. We are mobilizing to restore this funding to this critical program.  We have testified in opposition and will be meeting with key legislators.  But that isn’t enough.  Keep a look out for a very important action alert in the coming days for an opportunity for you to tell the Legislature to reverse this cut--that restricting access to prevention and early detection services will end up costing the state money and lives!

 

The good news:

The budget funds Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation services!  Connecticut remains one of only three states (Georgia and Tennessee are the other two) that do not fund these services while tobacco use costs the program $507 million annually in Connecticut.  This has been a primary legislative issue for us for three years now and inclusion in the budget is a major step forward.

 

The budget also increases the state cigarette tax from $3.00 (4th highest in the US) to $3.40 (2nd highest).   Additionally, the budget increases the snuff tobacco tax from .55 cents to $1.00 and the OTP tax rate from 27% of wholesale to 50% of wholesale.  These modest increases will bring in $57 million in revenue in 2012 and reduce the tobacco use rate among both adults and youth.  Currently, the adult smoking rate is 15.4% and the youth rate is 15.3%.

 

The governor’s budget also restores the annual $12 million dollar deposit from the Master Settlement with Big Tobacco (MSA) to the state Tobacco Health Trust Fund (THTF) that had been redirected to the General Fund the last two years.

 

The budget also preserves existing unspent funding for the Connecticut Cancer Plan.

Legislative Priorities

Thanks to our advocacy efforts, the legislature has introduced and is deliberating on a number of bills important to cancer patients, survivors and their families:

 

ACS Legislative Priorities (Society supported)

·       Medicaid Funding of cessation services in Governor’s budget

·       SB 415 would ban Hookah Lounges in CT – Heard in Public Health 3/2

·       SB 884 would ban smoking at Private Clubs – Heard in PH 2/8

·       SB 948 would ban smoking in small businesses – To be heard on 3/11

 

Keep an eye out for opportunities for you to support these bills.  Action Alerts will be emailed in the coming days as these bills come up for a vote!

 

Affordable Care Act Implementation

·       HB 6305 establishes the SustiNet health plan (ACS Support)

·       HB 6308 establishes the CT Health Partnership allowing municipalities, small employers and non-profits to join state health plans. (ACS Support)

·       HB 6323 conforms state statutes to the PPACA also establishes a State Insurance Exchange (ACS Support)

·       SB 921 – Establishes a State Insurance Exchange (ACS Oppose)

 

This has been one of the busiest sessions in years with incredible opportunity to achieve some important goals!

 

State Lobby Day

Our state Lobby Day will be April 13 in Hartford.  You are all invited to come meet with your legislators to advocate for our legislative agenda.  Come have your voice heard in Hartford! Invitations to follow.  For more information, please contact Eileen Silvestri at [email protected].

 

Thank you for all that you do!

 

Learn about cancer and how to stay healthy, find support and treatment and how to get involved in your area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling 1-800-227-2345!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further information or to find out how you can help, please contact:

Bryte Johnson, State Director of Government Relations and Advocacy

[email protected] or (203) 379-485