SB 859
Levying user fee on cigarettes to support EMS
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- Passed Senate
- Passed House of Delegates
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill proposes to levy a $1 user fee on each pack of cigarettes sold in West Virginia. The revenue generated from this fee would be dedicated to supporting emergency medical services (EMS) within the counties that currently provide EMS services on a county-wide basis. A special revenue fund, the Emergency Medical Service Agency Fund, would be created to manage and distribute these funds specifically for EMS operations.
Key provisions
- Levies a $1 user fee on each pack of cigarettes sold.
- Revenue is earmarked to support emergency medical services (EMS).
- The user fee applies only to counties that currently provide EMS services.
- Creates the ‘Emergency Medical Service Agency Fund’ to manage the collected revenue.
- The user fee is effective July 1, 2025.
- The fund is to be used solely for EMS operations.
- Only one sale of cigarettes is counted per user fee calculation.
- The bill defines key terms related to tobacco products and EMS.
Who is affected
- Cigarette manufacturers and retailers
- Consumers of cigarettes
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies
- West Virginia counties providing EMS services
- The State Treasury
Notable changes
- Establishes a dedicated funding source for EMS through a cigarette user fee.
- Specifies that the user fee is only applicable to counties currently providing EMS services.
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