Judge strikes down Wal-Mart law; attorney general vows to appeal

The Maryland attorney general said he would appeal a federal district court judge?s decision Wednesday striking down a state law requiring big companies to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on employee health care benefits.

“We argued to the court [that] Supreme Court precedent makes it clear that this law does not impermissibly impact health benefit plans,” the attorney general?s office said in a written statement. “Employers may choose to pay the tax or avoid paying the tax in several ways.”