Senate rejects amendment to restore tobacco-cessation funding

Senator Rountree urged colleagues to restore funding for Nebraska’s tobacco-cessation program, arguing the program’s priorities are to prevent youth from starting to smoke, support quitting and reduce health disparities linked to commercial tobacco use. “Our program priorities are to prevent youth and young adults from ever starting smoke, support quitting among adults and youth, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, and to reduce health disparities,” Rountree said in closing.

The amendment (FA1039) would have reversed an $800,000 reduction and maintained program grants including local grants, the Nebraska tobacco quit line and media campaigns. Supporters — including Senators Raybould and Conrad — warned that sweeping funds from the tobacco master settlement and the health care cash fund would reduce prevention and cessation services that help avoid larger health-care costs down the line.

Opponents pressed that the Legislature must find ways to close a substantial budget shortfall through committee adjustments and that the Appropriations Committee was working on broader solutions. After debate, the clerk (recording the vote) reported, “12 ayes, 28 nays” and the amendment was not adopted.

Why it matters: Tobacco-cessation programs are largely financed from the state’s tobacco settlement and the related health care cash fund; supporters argued restoring funding protects public-health interventions that reduce long-term health-care spending, while opponents said the broader fiscal picture requires temporary reductions.

Next step: With FA1039 defeated, the mainline budget (LB10-71) proceeded through the floor process and was advanced to enrollment and review for further steps in the budget schedule.