Maneuvers in House fail to kill tobacco bill

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jun 10, 2009 - Page: 1A

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An effort to raise taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products survived a full-fledged legislative attack Tuesday in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Opponents tried and failed in three separate parliamentary moves to scuttle the tax legislation without directly voting on the issue. House Bill 889 would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents.

The measure still faces debate and a vote by the full House.

The last attempt came as opponents moved to “table” HB889, which would have effectively killed the measure for the current legislative session.

“Let’s just settle it right now,” said state Rep. Joe Lopinto, R-Metairie.

Sixty-one state representatives voted against tabling the measure while 37 voted in favor of the motion. The measure would need 70 votes to pass the House.

HB889 sponsored by Rep. Karen Peterson, D-New Orleans, would increase the  tax on a pack of cigarettes from 36 cents to 86 cents. The tax is estimated to generate about $100 million, which would go to help pay for health-care programs.

Peterson asked her colleagues not to fear voting to allow debate on the tax proposed in “The Louisiana Healthier Families Act.”

At the end of nearly two hours of wrangling, the House agreed to advance Peterson’s legislation for a full House debate and vote, perhaps by next week.

Lopinto said he had no more parliamentary maneuvers to try.

“I think we have done them all,” replied House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown.

HB889 is the only major tax bill that remains alive — although on life support — to generate revenues to close big health care and higher education budget funding gaps.

A two-thirds majority — 70 votes — is needed for the House to advance the measure to the state Senate for consideration.