An Act To Prevent and Treat Cancer in Maine by Implementing Critical Portions of the Comprehensive Cancer Program
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1226
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: STRANG BURGESS, SAVIELLO, BEAUDOIN, BEAVERS, BERRY, BLACK, BLODGETT, BOLAND, BRIGGS, BURNS, CAREY, CELLI, CHIPMAN, CLARK, CLARKE, CUSHING, DAMON, DILL, DION, EDGECOMB, FITZPATRICK, GILBERT, GRAHAM, GUERIN, HANLEY, HARLOW, HARMON, HINCK, HOGAN, HUNT, INNES, JOHNSON, KAENRATH, KUMIEGA, LAJOIE, LONGSTAFF, MAKER, MALABY, MALONEY, MARTIN, MORRISON, PARKER, PEOPLES, PETERSON, PICCHIOTTI, RANKIN, ROCHELO, ROSEN, RUSSELL, STEVENS, THERIAULT, TIMBERLAKE, TUTTLE, VOLK, WAGNER, WOOD, GERZOFSKY, HOBBINS, WOODBURY
Amends: 36 MRSA §4403

Legislative Document 
No. 1226 
H.P. 917 
House of Representatives, March 22, 2011 
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. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin and 
Representatives: BEAUDOIN of Biddeford, BEAVERS of South Berwick, BERRY of 
Bowdoinham, BLACK of Wilton, BLODGETT of Augusta, BOLAND of Sanford, BRIGGS of 
Mexico, BURNS of Whiting, CAREY of Lewiston, CELLI of Brewer, CHIPMAN of Portland, 
CLARK of Millinocket, CLARKE of Bath, CUSHING of Hampden, DAMON of Bangor, 
DILL of Cape Elizabeth, DION of Portland, EDGECOMB of Caribou, FITZPATRICK of 
Houlton, GILBERT of Jay, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GUERIN of Glenburn, HANLEY 
of Gardiner, HARLOW of Portland, HARMON of Palermo, HINCK of Portland, HOGAN of 
Old Orchard Beach, HUNT of Buxton, INNES of Yarmouth, JOHNSON of Eddington, 
KAENRATH of South Portland, KUMIEGA of Deer Isle, LAJOIE of Lewiston, LONGSTAFF 
of Waterville, MAKER of Calais, MALABY of Hancock, MALONEY of Augusta, MARTIN 
of Eagle Lake, McFADDEN of Dennysville, MORRISON of South Portland, PARKER of 
Veazie, PEOPLES of Westbrook, PETERSON of Rumford, PICCHIOTTI of Fairfield, 
RANKIN of Hiram, ROCHELO of Biddeford, ROSEN of Bucksport, RUSSELL of Portland, 
STEVENS of Bangor, THERIAULT of Madawaska, TIMBERLAKE of Turner, TUTTLE of 
Sanford, VOLK of Scarborough, WAGNER of Lewiston, WOOD of Sabattus, Senators: 
GERZOFSKY of Cumberland, HOBBINS of York, WOODBURY of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  36 MRSA §4403, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 2009, c. 213, 
Pt. H, §1 and affected by §3, 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 $2.00 per ounce on: 
A.  Smokeless tobacco, including chewing tobacco and snuff.  The tax on a package 
containing less than one ounce of smokeless tobacco is $2.00 per package; 
B.  Cigars; 
C.  Pipe tobacco; and 
D.  Other tobacco intended for smoking. 
Sec. 4.  36 MRSA §4403, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5.  Equivalence with cigarette tax.  If the tax on cigarettes under chapter 703 is 
increased or decreased, the State Tax Assessor shall calculate a rate of tax per ounce on 
tobacco products under this section that is substantially equivalent to the tax on cigarettes 
per ounce.  The assessor shall submit a bill to the Legislature at the earliest opportunity to 
amend this section to incorporate equivalent rates. 
Sec. 5.  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 2011-2015." 
Sec. 6.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Comprehensive Cancer Screening, Detection and Prevention Fund Z054 
Initiative: Provides funds for comprehensive cancer screening. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2011-12
2012-13
All Other 
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
Sec. 7.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect October 1, 2011. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides funding for a portion of the cancer prevention and control program 
plan originally 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 
products other than cigarettes to be taxed at the rate of $2.00 per ounce to provide the 
funding.