Latest news with #KristineReeves
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Effort to ban flavored tobacco products in WA revived in legislature
The Brief Previously thought to be dead for the year, lawmakers heard legislation Monday that would ban flavored vapes and cigarettes. A new bill takes the extra step of increasing taxes on manufacturing, selling and buying all other tobacco products to bring in more revenue. OLYMPIA, Wash. - Efforts to ban flavored tobacco products in Washington got a breath of life, as a bill to do so got a committee hearing Monday after the effort was previously assumed dead. House Bill 2068 would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products like vapes and menthol cigarettes starting in July 2027 – with the exception of flavored shisha, which is used in hookah. "These products don't contribute to the social wellbeing of our communities," prime sponsor Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, told the House Finance Committee on Monday. "They definitely don't contribute to the health and wellbeing of our children. And I would love for you to join me in helping find a path forward to make sure that the next generation is not getting hooked on tobacco." Reeves pushed similar restrictions in another bill this session which failed to move forward. However, the new proposal goes a step further and increases taxes and fees around manufacturing, selling and buying tobacco products, with revenues going toward cancer research, tobacco use prevention and general operating funds. One of those increases is in the tax on a pack of cigarettes, going up by $2 under the bill and is adjusted to inflation every three years. The increased taxes backfills lost revenues from flavored products being off the market, Reeves said, while also funding efforts to get people away from the dangers of tobacco products, especially youth vaping. "The intent is really to ensure that we are getting at consumer education," she said. "That we're focusing on how we address youth prevention and adult cessation. And that we hopefully address some of the enforcement needs of the liquor and cannabis board to be able to address this uptick." A handful of high school students testified in support of the legislation Monday. They told lawmakers that teens are targeted by vapes' fruity flavors, contests and other marketing ploys, with the resulting addiction getting in the way of kids learning, playing and living healthy lives. "Flavored tobacco pulls teens in," said Jayce Hartman, a senior at Tacoma's Silas High School. "It smells like candy, looks like candy, and it feels harmless, but it's not. And I've seen students at my school – classmates, friends – get hooked before they even realize what's happening." Opponents to the bill argued flavored vape products are a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes and adults should have unrestricted access to them. They also point to federal data showing a decline in youth use of tobacco in recent years, with store clerks being responsible in keeping products away from kids. "We are the first line of defense, and our efforts are working," testified Yujin Ghim with the Korean American Grocers Association of Washington. "The current system of licensed retailers, strong minimum age laws and government oversight is working." Retail groups also argued the ban would cause a drop in revenue for businesses and force some to close their doors. They believe a ban would push the tobacco market underground and potentially cause more harm. "Increasing taxes doesn't necessarily limit or reduce people who are trying to access tobacco, or encourage cessation," said Crystal Leatherman with the Washington Retail Association. "Instead, it actually just forces them to purchase from an unregulated or illicit market." Lawmakers face a deadline on Tuesday to move legislation forward, but a spokesperson for the House Finance Committee chair said generally bills that include taxes are not subject to that cutoff. The Source Information in this story is from Albert James, a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University. Seattle driver plummets off multi-story parking garage, 77-year-old rescued Thousands attend Seattle 'Hands Off!' rally against Trump, Elon Musk Tacoma police shoot, kill carjacking suspect Saturday afternoon Sue Bird named to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Trump tariffs live updates: Global markets plunge as countries scramble to respond USPS mail delivery changes begin: Here's what to know To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Fox News
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Democratic lawmaker in Washington likens trans sports bans to racial segregation
A lawmaker in Washington on Thursday likened legislation aimed at banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports in the state to racial segregation in the United States, arguing that those across the aisle are "making a lot of the same arguments today." Washington Democratic state Rep. Kristine Reeves spoke during an executive session of the House Education Committee on Thursday morning where members of the committee introduced SB 5123, a bill that aimed to expand protections for students, including gender expression and gender identity. "I recall a time in our country's history not that long ago … where people like my grandfather were told that they could not participate in sporting activities because he was Black man," Reeves spoke following a proposed amendment to the bill. "I can recall a time in our country's history, Madam Chair, where people like my grandfather and my great-great grandfather were not allowed to participate in processes and places in our society because of the color of their skin because people for years – for generations – had told our society that Black people were less than human, that Black people were animals, that Black people did not have the brain capacity to compete with White Americans." Reeves claimed that similar to the scientific studies provided that have argued an unfair physical advantage for trans athletes in women's sports, people also "generated science to compel people to believe in the argument that my father, my grandfather, my grandmother, my great grandparents were less-than in our society." "We are repeating history, Madam Speaker, in this debate and it is very, very scary to me that we are making a lot of the same arguments today about this subset of our population that my grandfather, my grandmother and my grandparents had to be subjected to for years, being told that they were less-than, that they didn't deserve the same rights as other people because of the color of their skin." Republican lawmakers in the committee meeting disagreed with Reeves' claim, including her remarks that "we have the ability to evolve." "This particular amendment is focused on athletic participation and one thing that doesn't change is bone density, lung capacity, and the ability that a male has versus a female," Rep. Michael Keaton countered. "There's been too many stories already this year of females being hurt, or females working their entire life to accomplish a goal and to be able to be successful in something, dedicate their life to it, and then a male changes categories and takes it all away from them." Rep. Travis Couture echoed that sentiment, adding that the bill amendment "isn't about the black-eye in history of our race relations." "I don't view it as evolving,actually, " he added. "I don't think it's a disingenuous argument from me or my side to say that our opinion of it is that we're actually devolving from a time before Title IX, a time before women had rights in this country, a time before girls could actually go and compete in sports with other girls without having to risk being hurt or having scholastic or other opportunities robbed from them." "We're going backwards in history, not forwards." President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month that required entities that receive federal funding to align with Title IX, which the Trump administration changed last month to recognize protections on the basis of biological sex – undoing former President Joe Biden's 2024 rewrite. The Trump administration has keyed in on several states that have openly refused to comply, prompting federal funding to be pulled. Most notably, the administration paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania after the Department of Education launched an investigation into the university over potential Title IX violations. The pause in funding was not a direct result of the investigation, meaning the Ivy League school could stand to lose more in federal funding. On the state level, Maine officials have been the most outspoken over the refusal to comply with the federal law, resulting in a back-and-forth between the state and the Trump administration. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA lawmakers light up plan for cigarette tax hike
(Photo by) Increasing taxes on cigarettes, cigars and vapor products could be on the buffet of revenue-raising options Washington lawmakers consider to erase a looming budget shortfall. Legislation discussed in the House Finance Committee on Thursday would boost taxes on an array of tobacco products to generate $23.1 million for the general fund in the next two-year budget. While it will cover only a sliver of the projected $6 billion gap, the dollars would help pay health care and societal costs linked to the effects of smoking and vaping, the bill's sponsor told the committee. 'I feel very strongly that those who are most prone to utilize this product should be the people paying for the impacts of this product,' said Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way. Reeves shared that her mother started smoking menthol cigarettes at age 9, eventually becoming a three-pack-a-day smoker. She died of lung cancer when she was 60. Her nicotine habit, Reeves said, led to other addictions including substance misuse and alcohol abuse. Reeves said she's had a 'lifetime struggle' with asthma from her exposure to secondhand smoke. The bill is about 'ensuring accountability' and taxing tobacco products at a rate 'that is going to bring value to the community for those who are most impacted.' Students from Lake Washington High School urged the committee to back the legislation. 'I've seen peers struggle with nicotine addiction before they even turn 18. I've watched students hide in restrooms and sneak out during class because of this compelling dependence,' said Liana Khachatouriansoradehi. 'By passing House Bill 1416 you are choosing to help my friends, smokers or not, by taking a step in protecting us against addiction and investing in healthier futures.' Representatives of the Association of Washington Business, Washington Retail Association, Cigar Association of America and Washington Food Industry Association voiced opposition. They said higher taxes will push up product prices, leading to fewer sales and less income for small business owners. Some argued it could lead individuals to cross into neighboring states to make purchases. 'We understand the desperate need to get revenue this year. Unfortunately, we don't think this is the right answer,' said Katie Beeson of the Washington Food Industry Association. 'We know that tobacco tax increases actually result in a direct decline in sales which will have an impact on your smallest local retailers.' With the budget shortfall looming, Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate are batting around many ideas for raising enough revenue to avoid deep cuts to programs and services. Republican lawmakers say they soon expect to see proposals for a 'wealth tax' on intangible assets like bonds and stocks, a payroll tax imposed on companies with many workers earning high wages and surcharge on business taxes paid by the state's largest corporations. Democrats have floated these tax options but have not yet put them forward in bills. Taxing tobacco products is one of the smallest generators of new dollars now under discussion. The legislation would increase the tax on a single cigarette by one-and-a-half cents. That would raise the tax on a pack of 20 cigarettes by 30 cents to $3.33. The typical price of a single pack runs a little more than $10, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill. The levy on cigars would rise seven cents to a maximum of 72 cents apiece. Little cigars would be taxed one-and-a-half cents more, bringing the total to nearly 17 cents apiece. For smokeless tobacco, also known as moist snuff, the tax on a consumer-sized can or package weighing 1.2 oz or less would go up a quarter to $2.78 and by 21 cents to $2.31 on larger size cans. Vapor products, such as electronic cigarettes and cigars, are subject to sales and use taxes and an additional tax tied to the amount of liquid nicotine or consumable solution. As proposed, the tax on containers of 5 milliliters or more would go up a penny to 10 cents per milliliter. For all other vapor products, the tax would be 30 cents per milliliter of liquid or solution, a three-cent bump. If the bill is enacted, proposed increases would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Axios
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Washington's Legislature has more Black members than ever
Nearly 10% of Washington state lawmakers are Black, a record number that has been years in the making. Why it matters: Having greater Black representation in the Legislature — coupled with greater diversity in general at the Capitol — "really just enhances the number of perspectives being brought to the public policy debate," state Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way), who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, told Axios. It also eases the pressure on individual Black lawmakers to represent and speak for all Black people, she said. "We have as many diverse opinions among Black people as we do among all people in the Legislature," Reeves said. State of play: Washington's Legislative Black Caucus has 14 members this year. That's the highest number of Black lawmakers who have ever served simultaneously in the 147-member Legislature, House Chief Clerk Bernard Dean told Axios. It's a big jump from about a decade ago, when the 2014 death of state Rep. Roger Freeman (D-Federal Way) temporarily made Seattle's Eric Pettigrew the Legislature's only Black member (a status Pettigrew also held in 2012). Zoom in: Newly serving Black legislators this year include state Rep. Shaun Scott (D-Seattle) and state Rep. Natasha Hill (D-Spokane) — both elected last fall — and state Rep. Brianna Thomas, (D-West Seattle), who was appointed last month to fill a vacancy. What they're saying: Reeves said the 2016 election of President Trump helped spur more Black people to run for office, as did the protests following the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Recruitment and training programs for candidates have also played a role, she added. Flashback: Following the 2020 election, the number of Black women in the Legislature tripled. That year, state Sen. T'wina Nobles (D-University Place) became the second Black woman ever elected to the state Senate and the first Black senator to serve in the chamber in a decade. Between the lines: Having a larger Black caucus can help ensure that Black members' voices aren't overlooked, state Rep. Debra Entenman, D-Kent, told Axios. "When we are in the room and we are voicing our opinion, people do hear what we have to say," said Entenman, who has served in the Legislature since 2019. Scott told Axios that he thinks members of the Legislative Black Caucus "are united in making sure we are fighting for everyday people and vulnerable groups, because many of us come from those backgrounds as well." What we're watching: While 12 of the state House's 98 members are Black, the 49-member state Senate has only two Black members. That makes Black representation in the state Senate slightly lower than the share of Washington's population that is Black, which was 4.7% as of 2023, per census data.
