[Missouri] Tobacco Tax Initiative (Proposition A) could fund abortion referrals...

Proposition A, billed in the secular media as a tobacco tax, does more than tax cigarettes; it puts the tax money to use for certain vague health purposes without needed pro-life controls.

"Proposition A would take tens of millions of tax dollars available for subsidies to Planned Parenthood and referrals to abortion providers by health officials," said James S. Cole, General Counsel and State Legislative Chair of Missouri Right to Life. "We urge pro-life supporters to vote it down."

Under Proposition A, approximately $342 million in new tobacco taxes will be split among several purposes, including 43% ($147 million) to "health care treatment and access" and 14% to "life sciences research." Other categories to be funded include 29% ($99 million) to "emergency preparedness resources," 7% ($24 million) to "early care and education," and the remaining 7% ($24 million) for "tobacco and addiction prevention."

Cole pointed to serious problems in the massive "health care treatment and access" section. "That section incorporates only pro-life protections found in the Revised Statutes of Missouri and the state constitution," Cole said. "Unfortunately, that is a back-door way of allowing the state to subsidize Planned Parenthood, because the current funding restrictions are found only in

Cole also said that current statutes lack prohibitions against referrals by state officials to abortionists. He pointed to federal court decisions in the 1980's: "The state statutes against `counseling and encouraging' abortions with state money were declared unconstitutional in the 1980's, and the Legislature never revised and re-enacted them."
The lack of any protective language in Proposition A would also allow vast increases in funding for contraception and for assisting minors in obtaining contraceptives behind their parents' backs. Current Missouri law makes it illegal to notify parents that their minor children are obtaining contraceptives. (§431.062(3), RSMo.) Many contraceptives act to cause an abortion when their "conception control" mechanism fails.

The "life sciences research" section also contains problems related to the destruction of humans at the embryonic stage for research and cloning, Cole maintained. "While there is certain language that incorporates partial protections for new human beings, the language is insufficient to close the door to abuses."

The text of Proposition A may be downloaded from the website of the Missouri Secretary of State. Further information about the pro-life consequences of Proposition A may be obtained from James S. Cole at (573) 635-5110 or by e-mail at jscole@justice.com.

Missouri prop A-tobacco tax
email regarding tax proposition | 10/16/02 | Rep. Connie Cierpiot (Missouri)

Posted on 10/17/2002 9:31 PM Central by BOBWADE

-----Original Message----- From: Rep. Connie Cierpiot[mailto:repcierpiot@midamerica.net] Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:20 PM To: Rep. Connie Cierpiot Cc: Cierpiot, Rep. Connie Subject: Proposition A - Tobacco Tax

A CLOSER LOOK AT PROPOSITION A

On November 5, 2002 voters will be voting on a very insidious Proposition. Proposition A will increase taxes on tobacco products to fund programs portrayed as improving society for the greater good. However, we need to take a closer look at Prop. A and its history and what the additional tax money could pay for if voters approve this Proposition.

A few years ago, nearly 40 states, including Missouri, joined together and filed class-action lawsuits against tobacco companies ostensibly to recover costs to the individual states of providing healthcare to uninsured smokers through public health programs such as Medicaid. At the end of 1998, Missouri signed a settlement agreement with the tobacco companies and has since received payments totaling $510,910,196. Missouri is also expecting to receive another payment of over $164 million this fiscal year which has been appropriated for various programs, including many of those programs specified in Prop. A.

Citizens for a Healthy Missouri is a coalition of private interests that joined together in 1999, with the help and support of then-Governor Carnahan, to push legislation dividing up the tobacco settlement money because they stood to benefit from the money. In 2000, legislation was introduced to split the money between healthcare programs, life science research, daycare programs, and smoking cessation programs. Then-Governor Carnahan and his Chief of Staff Brad Ketcher fought hard to keep any pro-life language from being included in the bill. (It is a well-known fact that the late Governor was a staunch supporter of abortion, up to and including, partial birth abortion.) They succeeded in blocking any pro-life language, therefore, pro-life legislators killed the bill. Brad Ketcher now works for Citizens for a Healthy Missouri.

Legislation was reintroduced in 2001 and the battle continued. Language was finally included in the bill to prohibit any tobacco money from being used for human cloning or using the organs or tissues of aborted babies for research. The bill defined a child and human life as being from conception on and forbid research on a child living or dead unless the parents of a deceased child gave their consent under the anatomical gifts law as long as the parent did not cause the death of the child. The bill also expressly prohibited using the tobacco money to fund abortions or for the development of drugs or chemicals intended to be used to induce an abortion. Unfortunately, this bill died on the last day of session in 2001.

So, Citizens for a Healthy Missouri circulated a initiative petition to bypass the legislative process and get their proposition on the ballot.

The language in their Prop. A is very similar to the bills which failed in the Legislature with one very important exception. The coalition omitted the pro-life language. Prop. A simply says that the new tax money can be spent "for medical, mental and other healthcare assistance coverage to low-income adults and children who may otherwise be uninsured; for initiatives to improve the health of women and minorities; and to fund costs for healthcare programs or services." It is also specifies that money can be used "to include but not be limited to health research in human development..." Under this broad definition, abortion, human cloning, and fetal tissue and organs research could all be eligible for taxpayer funding. Planned Parenthood could also be considered a healthcare provider. In fact, it is this language that provoked opposition from Missouri Right to Life and pro-life legislators in the past. A February, 2000 memo to legislators from Missouri Right to Life said, "While most types of "healthcare" and many types of "health sciences research" are acceptable to the public, under those broad headings can be included abortion services and research involving fetal tissue and fetal organs. This type of "healthcare" and "health sciences research" most assuredly is not acceptable to the public." I agree.

Missouri Right to Life has recently announced their opposition to Proposition A ( www.missourilife.org ). A recent press release from MRL says, "On November 5, an initiative that presents great danger to the pro-life cause will be on the Missouri ballot. Proposition A, billed in the secular media as a tobacco tax, does more than tax cigarettes; it puts the tax money to use for certain vague health purposes without needed pro-life controls. We urge pro-life supporters to vote it down." When Brad Ketcher, speaking for the coalition behind Prop. A, was asked about MRL's opposition he responded, "I'm stunned they would come to that conclusion. This proposition is about improving health and healthcare in the state. It's abortion-neutral." Abortion-neutral? Notice Mr. Ketcher did not deny that the money could be used to fund and promote abortions, even for minors. He changed the subject and said he was stunned. He shouldn't have been stunned since he has been involved in this issue since 1999.

I urge you to join me on November 5 and vote against this insidious, deceptive Proposition.

Rep. Connie J. Cierpiot Mo State Capitol - Room 135 A-A 201 West Capitol Ave Jefferson City, Mo 65101 Phone: 573-751-9759 Fax: 573-526-7617 Website: www.yourlaunchpad.com/connie E-Mail Address: repcierpiot@midamerica.net

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Tobacco Tax Initiative (Proposition A) on November ballot could fund abortion referrals, life sciences research, abortifacient