SB 117-PRICE OF CIGARETTES                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:37:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  PASKVAN announced  SB 117  to be up  for consideration.  He                                                              
noted that Senator  Bunde had submitted a letter in  support of SB                                                              
117.  He  moved  to  bring  CSSB  117(),  version  E,  before  the                                                              
committee. There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
ESTHER CHA, staff  to Senator McGuire, sponsor of  SB 117, related                                                              
that  the department  said the  committee  substitute (CS)  lowers                                                              
the percentage that  was in the original bill and  a few off-brand                                                              
cigarettes  may experience  a decrease in  their current  pricing;                                                              
however, the majority of brands will experience an increase.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MEYER  said the last  time this  bill was heard  they were                                                              
led to believe it  would raise the price of cigarettes  and he was                                                              
curious  why the  American Lung  Society and  the American  Cancer                                                              
Society  weren't supporting  it. He  thought it  might be  because                                                              
even  though some  of the  major brands  would probably  go up  in                                                              
price the  off brands  for the most  part will  go down.  The fact                                                              
that this  bill prevents businesses  from selling tobacco  as loss                                                              
leaders is good.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:42:05 PM                                                                                                                    
MIKE  ELERDING, representing  himself,  Ketchikan,  said he  would                                                              
answer  questions.  He  said  he  has  supported  the  concept  of                                                              
regulating  the  price  of  tobacco products  since  2004  and  he                                                              
offered to provide  historical context for how they  had gotten to                                                              
where they are now if anyone wanted it.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PASKVAN,  finding  no  further   questions,  closed  public                                                              
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MEYER  moved  to  report  CSSB  117(),  version  E,  from                                                              
committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  attached  zero                                                              
fiscal note. There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:44:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR PASKVAN announced an at ease at 1:44.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:45:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR PASKVAN called the meeting back to order at 1:45.