2010 Heart on the Hill a Huge Success PLUS Exciting News from the Capitol!

Whether you came to the Capitol in person or took action from your computer at home, we want to thank you for participating in our 2010 Heart on the Hill Event last Wednesday! Nearly 200 volunteers from across the state met with more than 80 lawmakers in person and over 50 emails were generated online through our virtual lobby day! And we had terrific coverage in the media!

The vast majority of legislators we visited now support the Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act of 2010. Many were surprised and disturbed by the new products and are motivated to take action to keep these products away from kids. We couldn't have accomplished all of this without you!

Exciting News from the Capitol on 2 Top Legislative Priorities:
First, in follow up to our day on the Hill last week, the Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act (SF3055) passed the Senate Taxes Committee! This morning, the Senate Tax Committee passed important restrictions to limit youth access to tobacco products (a key portion of our Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act). This portion of the bill will go to the Senate floor in the coming weeks. The Tax Committee decided to hold off on passing the tax portions---reclassifying little cigars as cigarettes. That portion may still be in the final omnibus tax bill, but for now we can be very pleased that we made progress on keeping the dangerous new tobacco products out of the hands of our youth. *Next stop for HF3467 is the House Tax Committee on April 28th.
*Learn more: Big Tobacco's New Tricks

Our progress at the Capitol continued today when our Complete Streets Policy passed House floor (HF2801/SF2461)! The bill passed off the House floor on a 92-37 vote. We are still waiting for the bill to come up on the Senate floor for a vote. This legislation helps to ensure a process is in place at the local level to make our roadways safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. During the floor discussion legislators highlighted this as part of the Childhood Obesity Working Group's recommendations to pass state policy that helps our kids lead healthier lives.

Thank you for your support and look for several opportunities to take action on these important health issues in the coming days.

Heart Disease and Stroke. You're the Cure.