An Act to Support Health Care Safety Net Programs
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0713
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MARTIN, BRENNAN, DUDLEY
Amends: 36 MRSA §4366-E

Legislative Document 
No. 713 
S.P.251 
In Senate, February 14,2003 
An Act to Support Health Care Safety Net Programs 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senator: BRENNAN of Cumberland, Representatives: DUDLEY of Portland, 
DUGA Y of Cherryfield. 
Prinled on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §4366-E is enacted to read: 
§4366-E. 
Additional cigarette tax for health care safety net 
programs 
1. 
Additional tax imposed. 
Beginning October 1, 2003, in 
addition to the tax imposed under sections 4365 and 4366-D, a tax 
is imposed of 2.5 mills for each cigarette imported into this 
State or held for sale in this State by any person. 
The tax 
imposed under this section must be added to the tax imposed under 
sections 4365 and 4366-D and collected and administered in the 
same manner as the tax under those sections. 
2. 
Transition. 
The State Tax Assessor shall adopt rules to 
ensure that cigarettes sold or held for resale, including sales 
through vending machines, on October 1, 2003 are stamped at the 
combined tax rate applicable under sections 4365 and 4366-D and 
this section. 
The rules must specify a due date for payment of 
tax due under this subsection. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this 
section are 
routine 
technical 
rules 
as 
defined in Title 
5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 
2. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
The 
following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Bureau of Health 0143 
Initiative: 
Provides 
fund 
for grants 
to federally qualified 
health centers to meet the need of providing primary health care 
to the uninsured and underinsured persons whose income is below 
200% of the federal poverty level at eligible sites. 
General Fund 
All Other 
General Fund Total 
Bureau of Health 0143 
2003-04 
$2,800,000 
$2,800,000 
2004-05 
$3,250,000 
$3,250,000 
Initiative: 
Provides 
fund 
for 
assistance grants 
to eligible 
federally 
qualified 
health 
centers 
and 
Indian 
Health 
Service-supported centers for the establishment and growth of 
federally authorized drug pricing programs under United States 
Public Law 102-585, Section 340B. 
General Fund 
2003-04 
2004-05 
All Other 
$250,000 
$500,000 
General Fund Total 
$250,000 
$500,000 
Bureau of Health 0143 
Initiative: 
Provides funds 
Primary Care Association to 
focusing on health outcomes, 
care disparities. 
for a one-time grant to the Maine 
evaluate the health care safety net, 
cost avoidance and reducing health 
General Fund 
2003-04 
2004-05 
All Other 
$250,000 
$0 
General Fund Total 
$250,000 
$0 
HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT "l'OTALS 
2003-04 
2004-05 
GENERAL FUND 
$3,300,000 
$3,750,000 
DEPARTMENT "l'OTAL -
ALL FUNDS 
$3,300,000 
$3,750,000 
SECTION "l'OTALS 
2003-04 
2004-05 
GENERAL FUND 
$3,300,000 
$3,750,000 
SECTION "l'OTAL -
ALL FUNDS 
$3,300,000 
$3,750,000 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides funding for the Bureau of Health, within 
the Department of Human Services, to make grants to federally 
qualified health 
centers, 
Indian Health 
Service 
supported 
centers and the Maine Primary Care Association to support health 
care safety net programs. 
The additional funding is offset by an 
increase in the cigarette tax from $1 to $1.05 per pack.