House leaders are pushing for the Senate to take up and pass the major tobacco bill before this Legislative session comes to an end in two weeks. House Speaker Jim Kreider of Nixa and House Republican Leader Catherine Hanaway of Warson Woods worked together on the package that allocates how the $4.5-billion coming to Missouri over the next 25 years will be spent. Under the House bill, 60-percent would go toward health care and a drug plan for the elderly, 20-percent is targeted for life sciences, and 10-percent each will go to smoking prevention and early childhood care. A Senate committee has made major changes to the bill to prepare it for Senate floor debate.
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