Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:3660 Primary Sponsor:Carnell Committee Number:30 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Medicaid Health Care Fund Residing Body:House Current Committee:Ways and Means Computer Document Number:JIC/5302.HC Introduced Date:Mar 07, 1991 Last History Body:House Last History Date:Mar 07, 1991 Last History Type:Introduced, read first time, referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Carnell White P. Harris D. Williams Felder Whipper Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN ---- ------ ------------ ------------------------------ --- 3660 House Mar 07, 1991 Introduced, read first time, 30 referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 12-21-625 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE MEDICAID HEALTH CARE FUND ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FINANCE COMMISSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF MATCHING FEDERAL FUNDS FOR MEDICAID PROGRAM SERVICES AND TO PRODUCE REVENUES FOR THE FUND BY A USER FEE EQUAL TO TWO AND ONE-HALF MILLS ON CIGARETTES MADE OF TOBACCO OR TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES.
Whereas, fifty thousand studies in the last twenty-five years have documented the risk of tobacco; and
Whereas, cigarette smoking has been linked to lung cancer, emphysema, oral and throat cancer, and heart disease; and
Whereas, smokeless tobacco has been linked to both oral cancer and tooth loss; and
Whereas, parents who smoke force their children to become passive smokers, thus causing three to seven percent deficit in lung growth; and
Whereas, of all cancer deaths thirty percent are related to smoking; and
Whereas, smokers have a seventy percent greater risk of heart disease than nonsmokers; and
Whereas, the cost of treating smokers with smoking related illnesses is a large percentage of the State's health care costs; and
Whereas, numerous citizens receiving benefits under the state Medicaid program are smokers; and
Whereas, South Carolina has one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the country; and
Whereas, health care costs are of serious concern to the General Assembly. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 21, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 12-21-625. (A) In addition to tax on cigarettes made of tobacco and tobacco substitutes imposed pursuant to Section 12-21-620(5), there is imposed a user fee equal to two and one-half mills on cigarettes made of tobacco or tobacco substitutes which must be paid and collected in the same manner that the tax imposed pursuant to Section 12-21-620(5) is paid and collected.
(B) There is established the Medicaid Health Care Fund, to be administered by the State Health and Human Services Finance Commission. The proceeds of this fund may be used only for the purpose of matching federal funds for providing Medicaid program services. Revenues from the user fee imposed pursuant to subsection (A) of this section must be credited to this fund."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect on the first day of the fourth month following approval by the Governor.