Great news out of the state's biennial budget process: Wisconsin's smoke-free workplaces provision was not placed in a list of "policy" items removed from the biennial budget. Another hurdle cleared on the path to employees state-wide breathing easier.
What does this mean?
It means that the 16-member Joint Finance Committee will debate and vote on the smoke-free workplaces provision over the next several weeks. SmokeFree Wisconsin will continue to provide updates on the progress of this provision. If approved by the committee, the budget (and the smoke-free provision) will come before the legislature for a final vote. SmokeFree hopes to see this happen by mid-June.
The Policy List (items to be removed from the proposed budget) was provided by members of the legislature's JFC last Tuesday.
Monday, April 13, 2009
WI smoke-free workplaces provision to remain in budget
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Actually, the ban IS a budget issue. Illinois knew it was going to lose revenue when the ban was passed, but it took over a year to finally start acting on raising taxes and fees to compensate. Using the budget as an issue, the Wisconsin taxes and fees can be automatically budgeted in right from the start, as soon as the ban becomes effective. They can avoid the mistake that Illinois made in delaying the budget issue. Scroll down just a little to see the "fiscal note" in the Illinois ban bill.
www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=SB&DocNum=500&GAID=9&SessionID=51&LegID=28191
Post a Comment