04 avril 2008
Senate Committee Passes Cigarette Tax Hike
COLUMBIA -- 
A South Carolina Senate subcommittee voted to raise cigarettes taxes by 50 cents per pack Tuesday. The bill passed by a vote of 14 to 8.
Senators said the new tax would increase revenue by $160 million.
The bill now heads to the Senate floor, where members have disagreed with the House on how any cigarettes tax revenue would be spent.
This version of the bill would use the new money to expand state medicaid programs.
The vote should happen sometime later this week.