New smoking ban

[AlohaKine]

Re: New smoking ban

With our state in such a budget mess it's sad to see SB-2493 going to a vote tomorrow. Get this the anti-smoking lobby groups and the health department want to INCREASE their funding ( a lot ) at the expensive of everybody else.

It's pure greed at the expense of our teachers and tax payers. Like we really need to be throwing money down the toilet to watch more TV spots of kids eating cigarette butts right now.

[Amati]

Re: New smoking ban

It's pure greed at the expense of our teachers and tax payers.

I pulled up the bill online.
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessio...B2493_SD2_.pdf
The openings statement says:

To enable the John A. Burns school of medicine to continue to operate and graduate new physicians, funding from the tobacco settlement needs to continue. Act 264, Session Laws 3 of Hawaii 2007, contains a sunset date that will eliminate the ability of the John A. Burns school of medicine to continue receiving these funds. The purpose of this Act is to continue the funding to the John A. Burns school of medicine until 2015.

So, isn't the bill actually insuring that the SCHOOL of Medicine continues to receive some of the tobacco settlement funds, where if left as it those funds will end?

Your additional details would be welcomed so we can better understand the bill. Thanks.

[AlohaKine]

Re: New smoking ban

The anti-smoking lobby quietly put their stuff in at the end. Please read section "b" of the bill.

(b) The fund shall be used for the purpose of receiving, allocating, and appropriating the tobacco settlement moneys as follows:

(1) [Fifteen] Twenty-four and one-half per cent shall be appropriated the emergency and budget reserve fund under section 328L-3;

(2) [Twenty-five] Thirty-five per cent shall be appropriated to the ( health ) department for purposes of section 328L-4;

(3) [Six] Twelve and one-half per cent shall be appropriated into the Hawaii tobacco prevention and control trust fund under section 328L-5; and

(4) Twenty-eight per cent shall be appropriated into the university revenue-undertakings fund created in section 304A-2167.5 to be applied to the payment of the principal of and interest on, and to generate required coverage, if any, for, revenue bonds issued by the board of regents of the University of Hawaii to finance the cost of construction of a university health and wellness center, including a new medical school facility, to be situated on the island of Oahu, for the succeeding fiscal year; and the payment of annual operating expenses incurred by the new medical school facility; provided that any moneys in excess of the amounts required under this paragraph shall be transferred in the succeeding fiscal year [to] as follows:

(A) Eighty per cent of the excess amount shall be transferred to the emergency and budget reserve fund under section 328L-3; and

(B) Twenty per cent of the excess amount shall be transferred to the Hawaii tobacco prevention and control trust fund under section 328L-5.

[(5) Twenty-five and one-half per cent shall be deposited to the credit of the state general fund.]
Talk about sneaky, the overview of the bill makes it look harmless, but inside is a selfish money grab. So 24 of the 25 senators either don't read the bills they vote for in full or they put gross TV ads and private lobbyists raking government funds ahead of teachers and tax payers. Only Senator Slom actually read the bill it would appear and voted no.

[Amati]

Re: New smoking ban

Talk about sneaky, the overview of the bill makes it look harmless, but inside is a selfish money grab. So 24 of the 25 senators either don't read the bills they vote for in full or they put gross TV ads and private lobbyists raking government funds ahead of teachers and tax payers. Only Senator Slom actually read the bill it would appear and voted no.

Meanwhile, yesterday's StarBulletin talks about another bill that would remove all funding for anti-tobacco work. HB 2887:
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/201...cco_funds.html

No money would be allocated for smoking prevention activities from the Hawaii tobacco settlement special fund under a bill moving in the state House to deal with the state budget crisis. Instead, the funding would be diverted to the state treasury.

HB 2887: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessio...B2887_HD1_.pdf

It should be interesting to see what happens when the Senate bill meets the House bill.

[AlohaKine]

Re: New smoking ban

Meanwhile, yesterday's StarBulletin talks about another bill that would remove all funding for anti-tobacco work. HB 2887:
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/201...cco_funds.html


HB 2887: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessio...B2887_HD1_.pdf

It should be interesting to see what happens when the Senate bill meets the House bill.

The House bill may have difficultly getting through the Senate Health Committee. As for the Senate bill to increase funding in the house, the house voted the other way which makes things interesting. Also the house health committee has normally acted less rabid where anti-smoking is concerned compaired to Senate Health.

Should SB-2493 pass we can expect to dig our budget shortfall millions more into the hole. We can have furlough Friday every Friday while as the private special interests give themselves pay raises and laugh all the way to the bank. With every friday off our teachers will have more time to enjoy the gross TV ads.

[AlohaKine]

Re: New smoking ban

Well house bill 2887 failed in the Senate Health / Human Services committees yesterday. The bill would have taken badly needed millions away from the anti-smoking lobby and put in the general fund.

The air of unreality is mind boggling at the state house. One of the anti-smokers explained how we should print 1 Billion "Hawaii Dollars" to balance the budget and people would just accept them on faith. They brought him there and introduced him just to testify on that. It's clear that the anti-smoking lobby hasn't a clue about money or budgets, and sadly nor does the health committee.

But that's ok, they'll just kick the work class for yet more regressive taxes.

[timkona]

Re: New smoking ban

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the early stages of sleep last night I swore I heard a mention of a ban on smoking in automobiles with children on board here on the Big Island.

Anybody else hear about this.

Personally, I think if you want to smoke in the car with your child, then it's just another way to cull the herd. I'm fascinated anytime selfishness overrides parental instinct.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: New smoking ban

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the early stages of sleep last night I swore I heard a mention of a ban on smoking in automobiles with children on board here on the Big Island.

Anybody else hear about this.

Personally, I think if you want to smoke in the car with your child, then it's just another way to cull the herd. I'm fascinated anytime selfishness overrides parental instinct.

you are correct. But Tim if all parents had good instincts we wouldn't need CPS right?

One point of thought...I see smokers driving their cars with the cigarette out the window because they don't want the smell in their car's interior, but it's okay in their lungs? Hmmmm....

[surlygirly]

Re: New smoking ban

Does anyone actually take those anti-smoking commercials seriously? Do they actually prevent smoking? Or do they make non-smokers want to light up simply because they're told not to by a bunch of smarmy kids? I know which question I can answer yes to.

[AlohaKine]

Re: New smoking ban

Does anyone actually take those anti-smoking commercials seriously? Do they actually prevent smoking? Or do they make non-smokers want to light up simply because they're told not to by a bunch of smarmy kids? I know which question I can answer yes to.

I think most smokers see it for the propaganda that it is and it only reminds them to smoke. I guess it may make an impact on some weak minded individuals that crave the herd mentality and want to live be the social engineering of the "enlightened extreme left with minds that are far superior to their own".

The same extreme left that ripped them off on the tobacco settlement now has the power of that money, so herd type people listen and obey.

[Amati]

Re: New smoking ban

I guess it may make an impact on some weak minded individuals that crave the herd mentality and want to live be the social engineering of the "enlightened extreme left with minds that are far superior to their own".

I might not personally always like the ads (some are better, some are worse than others), but I hardly think that someone who might think twice about lighting up due to seeing one of the ads deserves the tag of "weak minded", part of the "herd mentality", and a less superior mind.

When trying to deliver an important message, the words chosen are as important as what is being said.

[douglas]

Re: New smoking ban

Lets me see. There has been on activity on this tread since March 19th. The bozos from the Hawaii Bar Owners Association and the Hawaii Smokers Alliance have not been too successful to repealing the no smoking law. The legislature continues to raise cigarette taxes. I guess the question is do we really need this thread anymore? Perhaps its time for us to write about other things?

[tutusue]

Re: New smoking ban

[...]I guess the question is do we really need this thread anymore? Perhaps its time for us to write about other things?

Threads usually stay active and become archived. No need to shut it down. If the smoking issue gears up again then so will this thread! Closing a thread is admin's call and usually happens when posting gets really out of hand with negativity, possible legal problems, duplication or straying too far off topic. There are already lots of things to write about in other threads.

[TATTRAT]

Re: New smoking ban

Lets me see. There has been on activity on this tread since March 19th. The bozos from the Hawaii Bar Owners Association and the Hawaii Smokers Alliance have not been too successful to repealing the no smoking law. The legislature continues to raise cigarette taxes. I guess the question is do we really need this thread anymore? Perhaps its time for us to write about other things?

It was inactive, until you bumped it. . .

[mel]

Re: New smoking ban

Threads never really go away here... some are locked... others fade into the background smoke until someone else bumps it.