Governor Holden today announced his proposal to handle the hundreds of millions coming to the state from the national tobacco settlement. Holden made the announcement to a joint session of the legislature during his state-of-the-state address. The new governor says he hopes to dedicate money to prescription drug costs, health care access, anti-smoking campaigns, life sciences, and early childhood care. Holden says the tobacco money is needed to pay for his initiative, because of a tight state budget. The governor says he will create the Healthy Families Trust Fund, to help keep track of the amount of money Missouri receives. The settlement is expected to provide the state another $162 million this year. Photo by Bill Greenblatt, UPI