For Immediate Release
April 23, 2007
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Senate Committees to Hold Joint Hearing to Consider
 Governor's Wage Tax Proposal

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and the Senate Finance Committee will hold a joint public hearing beginning at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 24, in Hearing Room 1 of the State Capitol North Office Building on the manner in which Governor Rendell's proposed "Fair Share Tax" will be imposed and collected as it pertains to his universal health care proposal.

As part of the hearing the committees will hear testimony regarding a recent case involving a mandated health benefits program in Maryland, according to Senator Don White, Chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee, and Senator Pat Browne, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

In January 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a decision that invalidated Maryland's program citing that it clashed with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler recently announced he will not appeal the decision. The lawsuit that led to the court decision was filed by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), which will have representatives at Tuesday's hearing.

Rosemarie Greco, Director of the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform, and a panel of business leaders, are also scheduled to testify at the hearing.

The Hearing agenda is as follows (subject to change):

Contact:

Joe Pittman (Senator White)
(717) 787-8724

Stacey Connors (Senator Browne)
(717) 787-1349