February 22, 2007

LEGISLATIVE ALERTS

HB1008 – Health care insurance and cigarette tax increase

For those supporting the dollar increase in cigarette tax to support health-care insurance for lower income working Hoosiers and to discourage teen smoking, and increased funding for the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation agency outlined in House Bill 1008, your action is needed today.

Our state representatives need to hear from you regarding the proposed cigarette tax increase. The time is NOW, as it could be called for a vote anytime between now and Tuesday. Here is an Action Alert sent by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids today. It provides a simple script to use when calling the switchboard to leave a message for your representative.

If you need to know who your Representative is, visit www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/, choose “Indiana House” from the dropdown box and type in your zip code. A map of your area will appear, with the corresponding representatives. Call your representative toll-free at 800-382-9842 or those in area code 317 call 232-9600 today!

Here is a suggested script.

Good Morning/Afternoon, my name is ___________________. I am a constituent and I live in ______________. I am calling today to urge Representative __________ to vote FOR HB1008, but to increase the cigarette tax by at least $1 per pack and fund Indiana’s life-saving tobacco prevention and cessation program.

Increasing the cigarette tax is one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking among both kids and adults. And it just makes sense that some of the revenue needs to be used to fund programs that help smokers quit and keep kids from starting.

This is a rare opportunity to reduce the number one preventable cause of death and disease in Indiana – tobacco. Our state is long overdue to take these steps and it is important to our community. Unless we take action, this year thousands of Indiana kids will continue to become addicted to cigarettes and one-third will die as a result.

Again, please vote YES to HB1008, but fight to raise it up to at least a $1 per pack increase and use some of the revenue to fund the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency (ITPC). Thank you for your attention to this request and for your service to our great State of Indiana.

Here are some other bills that United Methodists are watching.

HB1835 – Race Tracks

This bill would allow up to 2,500 slot machines at the Hoosier Park track in Anderson and the Indiana Downs track in Shelbyville. This is a blatant expansion of legalized gambling which in essence is like two casinos coming to Central Indiana. This bill (HB1835), sponsored by Reps. Van Haaften of Mount Vernon and Rep. Whetstone of Brownsburg is in the House of Representatives today for a second reading of the bill.

Using the contact information listed above, call your representative today asking them to vote against this expansion of legalized gambling in Indiana. The expansion of legalized gambling will continue to increase the amount of citizens addicted to gambling, increase personal financial failure and bankruptcy, increase crime and most importantly, increase divorce and broken families due to gambling addiction. Ask you representative to vote NO on HB1835 – Race Tracks.

HB1485 – Sudan Divestiture

This bill is in the House of Representative today and up for third reading and a vote of the House. The bill is based off the Sudan Divestment Task Force model of targeted divestment from Sudan. The bill will work to combat the genocide unfolding in Darfur. This bill will ensure that the State of Indiana is not helping to fund this genocide. Using the contact information above, please encourage TODAY your representative to support the passage of HB1485 – Sudan Divestiture.

SB577 – Privatization of the State Lottery

This bill narrowly passed out of committee by a 7-5 vote in favor of privatizing the state lottery and is headed for the Senate for its first reading. The Indiana Coalition Against Gambling sees this as an expansion of gambling since any private company will in all likelihood expand its operation event with the provision in the bill that prohibit new games from being played. This is a 30 year lease for $1 billion that promises to provide $200 million a year to the state’s universities to provide for scholarships stopping the so-called “brain drain” from Indiana.

To oppose SB577 – Privatization of the State Lottery, contact your State Senator. If you need to know who your Senator is, visit www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/,  choose “Indiana Senate” from the dropdown box and type in your zip code. A map of your area will appear, with the corresponding representatives. Call your representative toll-free at 1-800-382-9467 or those in Area Code 317 call 232-9400 today!

Always remember to thank your Representatives and Senators for their service to our state.

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