Maryland's Fair Share Heath Care Fund Act
Where does the law stand now?
Maryland's Fair Share Health Care Fund Act was vetoed by the governor last year (read the veto message). In January, the legislature overturned the veto, making the much-debated bill state law. Senate bill 790 requires organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits -- or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor.
Implementation of the law is still pending, however. The Retail Industry Leaders Association filed suit in Maryland in February to block the law, saying that it is illegal under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. RILA says that the suit is also meant to advise caution to the many other states considering similar legislation. The Baltimore Sun published an article February 8 detailing the current status of the law.
Other articles surrounding Maryland's Fair Share Health Care Fund Act:
Washington Post, February 10, 2006.
Christian Science Monitor, February 10, 2006.
What the nation's newspapers said after Maryland's veto override:
New York Times, January 13, 2006
Washington Post, January 13, 2006
What the nation's newspapers said about the bill before the veto:
Washington Post, April 6, 2005
The NCSL Health Program regularly collects articles of interest to legislators, policymakers and those interested in health-related issues. We provide the link above for informational purposes only, and it does not necessarily reflect NCSL positions.
Please note that some links may not work since many media Web sites only keep active links to articles for a limited time, some as little as 24 hours. If you are interested in a story with a link that does not work, please visit the Web site of its origin.
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