Some good news for smokers in Virginia (or bad news for those trying to quit): Bills from Northern Virginia legislators that would have increased taxes on cigarettes were tabled in the House Finance Committee Monday, effectively killing them.

A bill from Del. Ken Plum, D-Fairfax, to increase the cigarette tax from $0.30 per pack to $0.80 per pack — which would have increased revenues by about $200 million a year for the state health care fund that pays for like Medicaid and disease diagnosis — failed to advance.

Another, from Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, that would have increased the rate to $1.45 per pack and devoted much of the additional revenues to fund the state's Medicaid system, was also tabled in committee.