An Illinois senator has again reintroduced a piece of legislation that would protect 8.4 million acres of Utah. Meanwhile, a Utah representative is pushing for the digitization of federal land maps.
The Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021 Is a Blunt Instrument
The Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021 [1], introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), with U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-D-08), seeks to raise the federal tax on cigars, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco and alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS) to match the tax on combustible cigarettes.[i] [2] From a harm reduction perspective, this strategy is too blunt of an instrument.
Harm reduction recognizes that people will, inevitably, engage in behaviors that may be risky and seeks to provide alternatives that reduce the risk associated with these behaviors. A harm reduction approach to tobacco product taxation involves ensuring that taxation levels are proportionate to the health risks of the product. This creates an incentive for people to choose less harmful products. Since the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021 seeks to equalize taxes on all tobacc
Congressional negotiators make progress on policing overhaul compromise By Kris Van Cleave, Nikole Killion
May 10, 2021 / 9:13 PM / CBS News Scott: Significant numbers of Republicans willing to back police reform
Congressional staffers worked through recess towards agreement on several key elements of a compromise police reform bill that could lead to a sweeping overhaul of policing in the U.S.
Conversations are still ongoing, and staffers are working toward drafting language, but they appear to be nearing agreement on several fronts banning the use of chokeholds by police officers except in life-threatening situations, setting federal standards for no-knock warrants and limiting the transfer of military equipment to local police departments.