Legislators expand spending

During a special session called to cure a budget deficit, Maryland?s General Assembly also passed major legislation to expand health insurance coverage and clean up the Chesapeake Bay ? programs that could cost the state more than $325 million a year by 2013.

Lawmakers early Monday morning passed legislation to expand health insurance to as many as 120,000 unprotected adults over the next five years. The plan ? which also includes a $20 million subsidy to small businesses that currently do not offer employees health coverage ? was passed in the final hours of the assembly?s special session to address the state?s $1.5 billion budget gap.