While Nebraska doesn’t have a truly oppressive tobacco tax, one state legislator is looking to drive down the cost of cigars in the state by instituting a cap on just how much tax can be charged on a cigar.

Sen. Justin Wayne, D-13, is sponsoring L.B. 429, a bill that would place a 50-cent cap on the state’s cigar tax, which is 20 percent of the wholesale price. That means that a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50 that currently sells for $11.40 by halfwheel estimates, would drop to $10.50, should L.B. 429 pass.

The bill is currently awaiting assignment to a committee. If enacted into law, the cap would go into effect on Oct. 1.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.