Bill introduced to eliminate Ohio's tobacco foundation

House Finance Chairman Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, introduced legislation that would end the existence of the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation (Source: "Foundation may be stubbed out in fight for funding," The Columbus Dispatch, April 30, 2008).  This legislation comes about because of the Foundation's refusal to allow the Strickland Administration and Ohio General Assembly to divert $230 million of its remaining $270 million endowment to an economic stimulus package.

While the dispute over that effort to divert the Foundation's funds is waiting for a May 8th hearing in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, the Finance committee plans to hold a hearing on this legislation this morning, with plans for a full House vote this afternoon.

The legislation will transfer the remaining $40 million to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). ODH states that it will use those funds to meet outstanding fiscal year end commitments that end June 30th.  The rest of the funds will go to help people stop smoking.

P.S. The House voted on April 30th, 85-10, to approve this legislation.