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House Bill 2452, "An Act to Curtail Tobacco Addiction and Related Health Care Costs," was filed by Representative Jonathan Hecht (D-Watertown) and heard before the Joint Committee on Public Health on 5/10/11. The bill is pending there. This "omnibus" legislation includes the cessation provisions of Senate Bill 540/House Bill 2048 below. It would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1.25 per pack and increase the taxes on other tobacco products (OTP) so as to be as expensive as cigarettes at the new higher taxed level to discourage youth from using tobacco products. It would also allow for a better funded comprehensive program of tobacco prevention and cessation in the Commonwealth by requiring that a minimum of three percent of all tobacco revenues received by the state ($832 million) be assigned to the Department of Public Health/Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program - currently less than 0.5 percent of those revenues ($4.15 million) are dedicated to those anti-tobacco efforts.

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Senate Bill 540, "An Act to Provide for Tobacco Cessation Benefits," was filed by Senator Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge) and heard before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing on 10/3/11. The bill is pending there. This legislation would build on the success of the comprehensive and affordable MassHealth smoking cessation benefit by similarly expanding access to smoking cessation medications, devices and counseling to other individuals who receive their health insurance coverage through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via the Commonwealth Care Health Insurance Program for lower-income adults and the Group Insurance Commission for state employees, retirees and dependents. Although the name of the bill is different, this is the same bill as House Bill 2048 below.

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House Bill 2048, "An Act Relative to Health Care Coverage for Tobacco Cessation," was filed by Representative Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) and heard before the Joint Committee on Financial Services on 6/28/11. The bill is pending there. Although the name of the bill is different, this is the same bill as Senate Bill 540 above.

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Senate Bill 1417, "An Act Improving the Fairness of Our Tax Laws," was filed by Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Boston) and heard before the Joint Committee on Revenue on 10/27/11. The bill is pending there. This comprehensive legislation includes provisions (in sections 2 and 3) that would increase taxes on other tobacco products (OTP) so as to make them as expensive as cigarettes at current taxed levels to discourage youth from using those tobacco products.

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Senate Bill 1094, "An Act Restricting the Sale of Tobacco Products at Locations where Health Professionals are Employed," was filed by Senator Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln). It was favorably reported by the Joint Committee on Public Health and is now pending before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. Although primarily aimed at pharmacies, this legislation would ban the sale of tobacco products at any location where a licensed health professional is employed.

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House Bill 591, "An Act Restricting the Sale of Tobacco Products at Locations where Health Professionals are Employed," was filed by Representative Sean Garballey (D-Arlington) is the same bill as Senate Bill 1094 above. It was reported out under it.

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