The Leg. Finance Committee just held their hearing on the health insurance tax credit for small businesses. HB20 would give a tax credit $400/ee/year to employers of <25 ee's (less what they would take as a deduction) to assist in their paying for at least 50% of the coverage. (estimated cost to state of $400 million/year??). Surprisingly (or not) this bill now has a new part 2, which is to raise the minimum wage by 85 cents/hr to $6. The aggravation to me was how the chair of the committee limited the time for testimony; would not allow the two items to be separated, would not allow people with the numbers to speak twice, -- and yet the legislators were just beginning to ask the most basic questions about both bills; and much of the important information was not available. I presume this information will be obtained before these bills go on to the next step in the process-- or do I presume too much? After a few anecdotal stories of living on minimum wage superceded all the cautions from the employer groups - the bill received a "favorable" vote 22 to 10.