Topeka ? Two major parts of state health care reform appeared in jeopardy Wednesday.

A proposed statewide smoking ban was bottled up in committee, and a 50-cent increase in the cigarette tax appears headed to the legislative ashtray.

The two measures were promoted by the Kansas Health Policy Authority as key components of a package of 21 reform proposals.

“The cigarette tax and the smoking ban would do more for health care costs in the future than any other two measures that we could pass, and those seem to be right now on life support at best,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said.

Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, agreed.

“I think the cigarette tax is (dead). The smoking ban is on life support and fading fast,” Schmidt said.

The proposed tax increase would raise the state cigarette tax from 79 cents per pack to $1.29 per pack.

Health officials have argued that the increase would help offset the damage caused by cigarette smoking in Kansas – 4,000 deaths and $930 million in health care costs each year. The tax increase also would produce a stream of revenue for future expansion of health coverage.

But the proposal has gotten little traction in the Legislature.

Meanwhile, a proposed smoking ban is having trouble getting out of committee with strong opposition coming from business owners. The bill would require a vote Nov. 4 in every county to determine whether to ban indoor smoking in restaurants and some other public places. Bars, casinos and tobacco shops would be exempt.

Schmidt said that toward the end of the session lawmakers may turn to the proposed smoking ban as one of the easier choices to make out of proposed reforms.

Still, he added, “I’m not giving it great odds.”