OKLAHOMA Supreme Court Rules Punishing Smokers With Cigarette Tax “Unconstitutional”…Lawmakers Forced To Fill SHOCKING Hole In State BudgetOKLAHOMA CITY   The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the cigarette tax passed late in the legislative session unconstitutional Thursday morning.The tax was expected to bring in more than $200 million of revenue for the state budget by tacking on an extra $1.50 per pack of cigarettes. The budget was planned and passed assuming the tax would hold.The tax was originally passed after the deadline for revenue raising bills, but Republican lawmakers tried to eke it through as a fee. A tax would have required a three-fourths majority to pass. Justices on Thursday ruled that, because the funds raised could be used for non-smoking related programs, the bill could not go through as a regulatory fee.The State now has a week to seek a rehearing. If it does not, the ruling is final.Gov. Mary Fallin issued a response to the Supreme Court s ruling:I am disappointed to hear the Supreme Court struck down the smoking cessation fee, but I certainly respect the justices  authority. I will be discussing with legislative leaders from both parties the need to address the $215 million shortfall this will create for the Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the three agencies that received the bulk of the money that was to be generated by the cessation fee.These agencies and the people they serve cannot sustain the kind of cuts that will occur if we do not find a solution. My belief is we will have to come into special session to address this issue.House Minority Leader Scott Inman released the following statement on the ruling:Once again, Governor Fallin and Republican legislators have failed Oklahoma. My caucus and I sounded every alarm bell we could to stop this from happening, yet here we are, just as we warned.Today, I m urging Governor Fallin to call for a special session and for Republican leaders to come together with myself and Sen. Sparks and draft a truly bipartisan and constitutional budget plan that will help to restore, reinvest in, and rebuild Oklahoma.With our state agencies facing more budget cuts and with even more rulings waiting, the time is now to work out a budget agreement before a special session of the legislature. By coming together now and putting a plan in place, we can save precious time and taxpayer dollars to fix the mess that their failed leadership has put us in because of their failed policies to cut taxes for the wealthy and well-connected.This cigarette tax was just a Band-Aid put on their gaping wound of a budget hole. Schools are down to 4-day weeks, hospitals are closing down, and public safety is in a crisis, not because cigarettes are too cheap, but because Republican policies benefitting their donors have failed us.For entire story: News 9politics
oklahoma supreme court rules punishing smokers with cigarette tax unconstitutional forced to fill shocking hole in state budgetoklahoma city the oklahoma supreme court ruled cigarette tax passed late legislative session unconstitutional thursday tax expected bring million revenue state budget taking extra per pack cigarettes the budget planned passed assuming tax would tax originally passed deadline revenue raising bills republican lawmakers tried eye fee a tax would required majority pass justices thursday ruled funds raised could used related programs bill could go regulatory state week seek rehearsing if ruling mary falling issued response supreme court ruling i disappointed hear supreme court struck smoking cessation fee i certainly respect justices authority i discussing legislative leaders parties need address million shortfall create department human services department mental health substance abuse services oklahoma health care authority three agencies received bulk money generated cessation agencies people serve sustain kind cuts occur find solution my belief come special session address minority leader scott man released following statement ruling once governor falling republican legislators failed oklahoma my caucus i sounded every alarm bell could stop happening yet i urging governor falling call special session republican leaders come together sparks draft truly bipartisan constitutional budget plan help restore reinvent rebuild state agencies facing budget cuts even rulings waiting time work budget agreement special session legislature by coming together putting plan place save precious time taxpayer dollars fix mess failed leadership put us failed policies cut taxes wealthy cigarette tax put gaming wound budget hole schools weeks hospitals closing public safety crisis cigarettes cheap republican policies benefiting donors failed entire story news
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: OKLAHOMA Supreme Court Rules Punishing Smokers With Cigarette Tax “Unconstitutional”…Lawmakers Forced To Fill SHOCKING Hole In State BudgetOKLAHOMA CITY   The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the cigarette tax passed late in the legislative session unconstitutional Thursday morning.The tax was expected to bring in more than $200 million of revenue for the state budget by tacking on an extra $1.50 per pack of cigarettes. The budget was planned and passed assuming the tax would hold.The tax was originally passed after the deadline for revenue raising bills, but Republican lawmakers tried to eke it through as a fee. A tax would have required a three-fourths majority to pass. Justices on Thursday ruled that, because the funds raised could be used for non-smoking related programs, the bill could not go through as a regulatory fee.The State now has a week to seek a rehearing. If it does not, the ruling is final.Gov. Mary Fallin issued a response to the Supreme Court s ruling:I am disappointed to hear the Supreme Court struck down the smoking cessation fee, but I certainly respect the justices  authority. I will be discussing with legislative leaders from both parties the need to address the $215 million shortfall this will create for the Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the three agencies that received the bulk of the money that was to be generated by the cessation fee.These agencies and the people they serve cannot sustain the kind of cuts that will occur if we do not find a solution. My belief is we will have to come into special session to address this issue.House Minority Leader Scott Inman released the following statement on the ruling:Once again, Governor Fallin and Republican legislators have failed Oklahoma. My caucus and I sounded every alarm bell we could to stop this from happening, yet here we are, just as we warned.Today, I m urging Governor Fallin to call for a special session and for Republican leaders to come together with myself and Sen. Sparks and draft a truly bipartisan and constitutional budget plan that will help to restore, reinvest in, and rebuild Oklahoma.With our state agencies facing more budget cuts and with even more rulings waiting, the time is now to work out a budget agreement before a special session of the legislature. By coming together now and putting a plan in place, we can save precious time and taxpayer dollars to fix the mess that their failed leadership has put us in because of their failed policies to cut taxes for the wealthy and well-connected.This cigarette tax was just a Band-Aid put on their gaping wound of a budget hole. Schools are down to 4-day weeks, hospitals are closing down, and public safety is in a crisis, not because cigarettes are too cheap, but because Republican policies benefitting their donors have failed us.For entire story: News 9politics
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: oklahoma supreme court rules punishing smokers with cigarette tax unconstitutional forced to fill shocking hole in state budgetoklahoma city the oklahoma supreme court ruled cigarette tax passed late legislative session unconstitutional thursday tax expected bring million revenue state budget taking extra per pack cigarettes the budget planned passed assuming tax would tax originally passed deadline revenue raising bills republican lawmakers tried eye fee a tax would required majority pass justices thursday ruled funds raised could used related programs bill could go regulatory state week seek rehearsing if ruling mary falling issued response supreme court ruling i disappointed hear supreme court struck smoking cessation fee i certainly respect justices authority i discussing legislative leaders parties need address million shortfall create department human services department mental health substance abuse services oklahoma health care authority three agencies received bulk money generated cessation agencies people serve sustain kind cuts occur find solution my belief come special session address minority leader scott man released following statement ruling once governor falling republican legislators failed oklahoma my caucus i sounded every alarm bell could stop happening yet i urging governor falling call special session republican leaders come together sparks draft truly bipartisan constitutional budget plan help restore reinvent rebuild state agencies facing budget cuts even rulings waiting time work budget agreement special session legislature by coming together putting plan place save precious time taxpayer dollars fix mess failed leadership put us failed policies cut taxes wealthy cigarette tax put gaming wound budget hole schools weeks hospitals closing public safety crisis cigarettes cheap republican policies benefiting donors failed entire story news