CHART’s Legislative Priorities
CHART is a membership-based grassroots coalition with more than 50 partner organizations designed to educate the public and motivate Tennesseans to make political change. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all Tennesseans by preventing disease, disability and death caused by tobacco use.
For nearly 10 years, CHART has been a leader in tobacco policy issues. Among other victories, the coalition helped to secure a 7 cent increase in the state’s tobacco excise tax in 2002, which has reduced youth and adult smoking rates, generated vital state revenues, and provided significant health care savings. In 2006, CHART supported legislation to make all state-owned buildings smoke-free. CHART also advocated for smoke-free workplace legislation, which led to the passage of the Non-smokers Protection Act in 2007. That same year, CHART supported legislation to increase the cigarette tax from $.20 to $.62.
The legislative component of CHART’s work will focus on three clearly defined policy goals: