An Act To Prevent and Treat Cancer in Maine by Implementing Critical Portions of the Comprehensive Cancer Program
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0919
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: STRANG BURGESS, MARRACHE, AYOTTE, BLODGETT, BRIGGS, BURNS, CAMPBELL, CASAVANT, COHEN, DAVIS, DILL, EVES, FITTS, FLAHERTY, FLEMINGS, FOSSEL, GIFFORD, GILES, GOODE, HASKELL, HOGAN, HUNT, WALSH INNES, JONES, JOY, NELSON, PEOPLES, PERCY, PERRY, PINGREE, PINKHAM, RUSSELL, SANBORN, SAVIELLO, SCHATZ, SUTHERLAND, TILTON, VALENTINO, WAGNER, WEBSTER, WILLETTE, BOWMAN, COURTNEY, JACKSON, MILLS, RA YE, SIMPSON, SULLIVAN
Amends: 36 MRSA §4403

Legislative Document 
No. 919 
H.P.637 
House of Representatives, March 9, 2009 
An Act To Prevent and Treat Cancer in Maine by Implementing 
Critical Portions of the Comprehensive Cancer Program 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Senator MARRACHE of Kennebec and 
Representatives: AYOTTE of Caswell, BLODGETT of Augusta, BRIGGS of Mexico, BURNS 
of Whiting, CAMPBELL of Newfield, CASAVANT of Biddeford, COHEN of Portland, 
DAVIS of Sangerville, DILL of Cape Elizabeth, EVES of North Berwick, FITTS of Pittsfield, 
FLAHERTY of Scarborough, FLEMINGS of Bar Harbor, FOSSEL of Alna, GIFFORD of 
Lincoln, GILES of Belfast, GOODE of Bangor, HASKELL of Portland, HOGAN of Old 
Orchard Beach, HUNT of Buxton, WALSH INNES of Yarmouth, JONES of Mount Vernon, 
JOY of Crystal, NELSON of Falmouth, PEOPLES of Westbrook, PERCY of Phippsburg, 
PERRY of Calais, Speaker PINGREE of North Haven, PINKHAM of Lexington Township, 
RUSSELL of Portland, SANBORN of Gorham, SAVIELLO of Wilton, SCHATZ of Blue Hill, 
SUTHERLAND of Chapman, TILTON of Harrington, VALENTINO of Saco, WAGNER of 
Lyman, WEBSTER of Freeport, WILLETTE of Presque Isle, Senators: BOWMAN of York, 
COURTNEY of York, JACKSON of Aroostook, MILLS of Somerset, PERRY of Penobscot, 
RA YE of Washington, SIMPSON of Androscoggin, SULLIVAN of York. 
Printed on rccydct1 paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §4403, sub-§l, as amended by PL 2005, c. 627, §8, is repealed. 
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §4403, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 627, §8, is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §4403, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Tax rate. A tax is imposed at the rate of $1 per ounce on: 
A. Smokeless tobacco, including chewing tobacco and snuff; 
B. Cigars; 
C. Pipe tobacco; and 
D. Other tobacco intended for smoking. 
A tax imposed pursuant to this subsection must be reviewed and amended to match the 
equivalent of any change to the rate of tax under section 4365 so that all tobacco products 
are taxed equally. 
Sec. 4. PL 2007, c. 341, §2 is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
Sec. 2. Maine cancer plan implementation. The Department of Health and 
Human Services shall, contingent upon availability of funding, establish a comprehensive 
cancer screening, detection and prevention program pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 22, section 1407, subsection 1, paragraph E based on the implementation 
strategy developed by the Maine Cancer Consortium for "The Maine Comprehensive 
Cancer Control Plan." 
Sec. 5. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Comprehensive Cancer Screening, ihtcctioll ftILfi r~'cvention Fund Z054 
Initiative: Provides funds for comprehensive cancer screening. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
_0 
SUMMARY 
2009-10 
$2,000,000 
$2,000,000 
2010-11 
$2,500,000 
$2,500,000 
TIllS bill provides funding for a portion of the cancer prevention and control program 
plan enacted into law during the First Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature by 
providing an ongoing Other Special Revenue Funds allocation for a comprehensive 
cancer screening, detection and prevention program. This bill requires all tobacco 
Page I - 124LR12S6(Ol)-1 
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products other than cigarettes to be taxed at the rate of $1 per ounce to provide the 
funding and any future tax rate increase to be tied to increases in the cigarette tax in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 4365.