Keenan Caldwell, Director, VirginiaGovernment Relations Department.pptVIP

Keenan Caldwell, Director, Virginia Government Relations Department VTSF Conference April 2009 Two take-aways from my talk today… Three Tenets of Tobacco Control Policy Kumbaya Governor Kaine and Speaker Howell Smoke Free Virginia Makes ALL Restaurants and Bars Smoke Free Except if they build a separate room with a door This room must be ventilated to the outside of the building Failure to comply will result in a $25 dollar fine Staff can “opt” out of having to work in the smoking room Exception for Private Clubs Virginia Department of Health FAQ Website Information: http://www.vdh.state.va.us/news/Alerts/SmokingBanFAQs.htm Tobacco Taxes Reasons Why? Local tobacco taxes 1. Cook County, Illinois $2.00 $0.98 $2.981 2. New York City, New York $1.50 $2.75 $4.25 3. Anchorage, Alaska $1.324 $2.00 $3.324 4. Barrow, Alaska $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 5. Falls Church, Virginia $0.75 6. Alexandria, Virginia $0.70 7. Chicago, Illinois $0.68 8. Hampton, Virginia $0.65 9. Newport News, Virginia $0.65 10. Norfolk, Virginia $0.55 11. Chesapeake, Virginia $0.50 12. Fairfax, Virginia $0.50 13. Middleburg, Virginia $0.50 14. Portsmouth, Virginia $0.50 15. Suffolk, Virginia $0.50 16. Virginia Beach, Virginia $0.50 17. Leesburg, Virginia $0.50 18. Vienna, Virginia $0.50 19. Franklin, Virginia $0.50 MSA Funding Jay Leno We’re making progress … Keenan CaldwellDirector of Government Relations keenan.caldwell@ (804) 527-3726 You can pass tobacco policy … even in Virginia! Some smoke-free is coming … we still have a ways to go We need to push for more MSA funding for tobacco prevention with the “new” Governor…we’ve got four years to get it done Tobacco Control Funding / MSA 3 Taxation on Tobacco Products 2 Smoke Free Laws 1 What the law does: Bill Definition An organization in which the owner, lessee,or occupant of the building uses facility solelyfor fraternal, social, patriotic, political, benevolentor athletic purposes. Sells alcohol incidental to its operation. Ex