A conference committee between the House and Senate tomorrow is meeting tomorrow to reach a compromise on the bill that would raise the tax on cigarettes and repeal the 2% wage tax.
Earlier this week, the Senate outright rejected the changes that the House made to their bill without any request for a conference to discuss a compromise.
Vice Speaker Fetu Fetui said since the Senate has decided not to request a conference the House should just let the bill lie.
Both chambers have now agreed to go into conference on the bill. The Senate wants to hike the tax on cigarettes from 36 to 39 cents apiece and keep 1% of the 2% wage tax for the hospital. The House amended the bill to keep the 3 cent hike to the cigarette tax but do away with the 2% wage tax altogether. In addition, the House has directed that the revenues from the tax hike go to the General Fund instead of to the LBJ Hospital.
Tomorrow is the second Saturday that the Fono is holding sessions and their reason for doing so is so they can conclude the 45 day legislative session next Friday instead of the following Tuesday. It is the first time in more than a decade that The Fono has held a full session without a break.
