skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, September 20, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

House Bill Would Tax E-Cigarettes, Boost State Revenue

play audio
Play

Wednesday, January 29, 2020   

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky lawmakers are considering putting an excise tax on e-cigarettes sold in the Commonwealth. The tax would be equal to the current tax on traditional cigarettes, which is $1.10 per pack.

State Rep. Jerry Miller, R-Louisville, the bill's primary sponsor, said his colleagues are struggling to come up with a state budget amid the worst projected revenue growth in decades, largely attributable to tax cuts. He said House Bill 32 would bring in much-needed state revenue while improving Kentuckians' health.

"But this tax has the added benefit - and the primary benefit, really - of reducing use by young people, pregnant mothers, just simply because they are more price sensitive," he said.

Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday announced his budget plan for the next two years. According to the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll, three out of four Kentucky adults approve taxing e-cigarettes and vaping products. That support includes 78% of Democrats, 76% of Republicans and 72% of independent voters.

Miller said e-cigarettes are the only tobacco products currently not subject to a state excise tax.

"The intent is to raise the price of e-cigarettes and certain other tobacco products," he said, "putting a 27.5% of the wholesale price tax."

In addition to being a potential revenue source for priorities such as education and public pensions, Miller said, the Commonwealth could save money down the road in terms of health-care costs.

"Not only are we not getting people weaned away from nicotine, we're getting them more hooked," he said. "And particularly because these cartridge-based systems appeal to youth, it has the prospect of really hooking another generation on these products."

The bill now is in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. If passed, it could take effect as early as August. A handful of states, including Illinois and West Virginia, already tax e-cigarette products.

The text of HB 32 is online at leglslature.ky.gov, and the KHIP survey is at healthy-ky.org.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021