Senator Hobson Comments on Governor’s Final Health Care Proposal

“The issue at hand is the health of Oklahomans. Our state is in the midst of a true health crisis and the facts are clear – smoking is one of leading reasons why Oklahoma is among the unhealthiest states in the nation."

“Governor Henry has shown extraordinary leadership to get us to this point. Now we must determine if a majority of the members of the Legislature will have the courage to stand up against those who want to continue to put profits from tobacco above the health of current and future generations of Oklahomans."

“The governor has crafted a proposal that will attack our state’s health problems on a large number of fronts – from expanding health insurance coverage for the uninsured to filling our need for a comprehensive cancer center; and from creating and maintaining a statewide trauma care network to ensuring access to health care through increasing the rates paid to those who provide medical services to Oklahoma’s neediest citizens."

“Most importantly, all of these initiatives are funded by a tax increase that will make smoking less attractive, especially to the thousands of children whose lives will be saved because they will never take up smoking.”