Here's the press release:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, filed a bill that would increase the tax on cigarettes by 16 cents. HB 1891 would change the current tax per pack from 17 cents to 33 cents.

Rep. Nasheed said her bill could help alleviate the state’s budget woes, potentially generating up to $90 million in revenue.

“It’s a simple way to generate some revenue for the state,” Rep. Nasheed said. “The money raised from the tax can help fund other state programs that Missourians rely on every day. It’s just a smart thing to do.”

Rep. Nasheed also filed the bill during the 2009 session, but it did not reach a vote on the House floor. She hopes that this year, her peers in the Missouri House of Representatives will see the value in a tax that raises funds at little cost to citizens. The increase will only affect consumers who buy cigarettes, leaving the rest of the public virtually unaffected. Rep. Nasheed explained that this is a better option than levying a general tax on the entire state population.

“Balancing the state’s budget is going to be an incredibly difficult task, and we’re going to need every cent we can get,” Rep. Nasheed said. “Receiving an additional 16 cents for every pack of cigarettes sold would be a big help, and we need to take advantage of that.”

Missouri currently has the second lowest cigarette tax in the country, next to South Carolina’s seven cents. Even with the proposed tax increase, Missouri’s new tax of 33 cents would still be significantly lower than the average national tax of $1.34.

The bill now waits to go to committee for further discussion.