Last week the Human Resources Committee, of which I am a member, unanimously approved House File 2057, raising the personal needs allowance for nursing home residents. Any income received by a nursing home resident on Medicaid is used to pay the nursing home costs, with the exception of the personal needs allowance. This is the amount of cash they are allowed to keep each month to pay for hair-cuts, toiletries and any other personal effects not provided as part of their nursing home care. This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in nursing homes from the current level of $30 to $50.

Although I am not on the House State Government Committee, there is great interest across the state regarding the Iowa Lottery TouchPlay machines. The committee is studying a number of issues involved in the rapid proliferation of these machines. The Governor ordered a moratorium on the TouchPlay machines, limiting the number to those either in place in businesses or on order as of January 7, 2006. A public hearing has been scheduled for Monday evening, February 20, 2006, to be held in the House Chamber beginning at 6:00 P.M.

I am a member of the House Education Committee, and we will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, February 21, 2006, on the issue of state standards for Iowa’s K-12 school system. The hearing will be held in the House Chambers at 6:00 P.M. As we discussed at last Saturday’s League of Women Voter’s forum, Iowa is the only state in the nation that does not currently have state-wide standards. In Iowa each school district establishes educational standards for their schools. Persons interested in participating in either public hearing may contact the Legislative Information Office at 515/281-6787 and ask to be on the list of speakers for the hearing.

A bill of mine that is still under consideration raises the tobacco excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1. This is the fourth year that I have sponsored this legislation, and it has been easier each time to obtain supporters for this measure. More people are coming to the realization that raising the price of tobacco products, together with restricting smoking in public areas, would lead to reduced use of this very addictive legal drug. Tobacco related illness and death is the most preventable health problem in America.

When I was a teenager, cigarettes were referred to as “coffin nails” and “cancer sticks”. I don’t know how much research about the effects of tobacco was being conducted, but even back in the ‘50s, we knew the danger of tobacco. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop me or many others from becoming addicted. Today, we know that 4,600 Iowans die each year from tobacco related illnesses. Every day, 12 Iowa families are planning a funeral for a loved one because of a tobacco related illness. In my own family, we experienced the grief of losing my older brother in this way.

There are only seven states with a cigarette tax lower than Iowa’s 36˘ per pack tax. Those seven states are primarily tobacco growing states: Florida (33.9˘), Kentucky (30˘), North Carolina (30˘), Virginia (30˘), Tennessee (20˘), Mississippi (18˘) and Missouri (17˘). In contrast, Illinois taxes a pack of cigarettes at 98˘ and Wisconsin at 77˘.

The primary goal of increasing the price of tobacco products is to improve the health of Iowans by decreasing the number of tobacco users and the incidence of tobacco related death and disease. An increase in the tobacco excise tax will create some additional revenue to support health care programs and services. However, this additional revenue can only be viewed as a short-term boost, since we hope that this is a source of state revenue that will reduce dramatically in the coming years.

Perhaps you will come to the Capitol for one of the public hearings. If you cannot come to the Capitol, I do appreciate hearing from you. You can write me at the State Capitol, Des Moines, IA 50319; call me at 515/281-7328 or e-mail me at ro.foege@legis.state.ia.us.

Ro

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