ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 16, 2007) - Comptroller Peter Franchot today applauded his former colleagues in the Maryland House of Delegates for passing House Bill 754, the Children & Working Families Healthcare Act of 2007. The bill would substantially increase the number of Marylanders eligible for health care coverage.

"The House, under the leadership of Speaker Mike Busch and Chairman Peter Hammen, has taken a major step toward reducing the number of uninsured individuals in our state," said Comptroller Franchot. "Many working families must currently decide between paying for health care and putting food on the table, and that is simply unacceptable. I look forward to working with the broad coalition of supporters of this measure to seeing the bill signed into law."

Comptroller Franchot has been an outspoken proponent of expanding access to healthcare and a tireless advocate for the measure's key funding source, a $1 per pack increase in the state cigarette tax, which his office would administer.

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CONTACT: Christine Duray, 410-260-6346 (office), 443-336-0215 (cell)