shall study the usual, customary, and reasonable rates paid by health maintenance
organizations for the claims of non-contracting health care providers under the
provisions of § 19-710.1 of the Health - General Article. The study shall include a
review of methodologies for rates of payment for services provided by non-contracting
health care providers in the State. The findings of the study shall be presented in an
interim report submitted on or before January 1, 2000 and, subject to § 2-1246 of the
State Government Article, a final report submitted on or before September 1, 2000 to
the House Economic Matters Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

SECTION 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 5 of this Act shall
take effect June 1, 1999.

SECTION 4. SECTION 3. 7. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as
provided in Section 6 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July October 1, 1999.
Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 4 years and, at the end of
September 30, 2003, with no further action required by the General Assembly, Section
2 of this Act shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. Section 3 of this Act
shall remain effective for a period of 4 years and, at the end of June 30, 2003, with no
further action required by the General Assembly, Section 3 of this Act shall be
abrogated and of no further force and effect.

Approved April 27, 1999.

CHAPTER 121
(House Bill 190)

AN ACT concerning

Tobacco Tax

FOR the purpose of altering the tobacco tax rate for cigarettes; providing for certain
increases in the tobacco tax rate for cigarettes; altering a certain discount
provision under the tobacco tax; imposing the tobacco tax on certain tobacco
products other than cigarettes; setting the rate of the tobacco tax for other
tobacco products; defining certain terms; altering certain definitions under the
tobacco tax law; requiring the Comptroller to establish by regulation a system of
administering, collecting, and enforcing the tobacco tax on other tobacco
products; making other tobacco products subject to certain enforcement
provisions applicable to cigarettes; prohibiting certain acts relating to other
tobacco products; imposing certain requirements relating to certain
transportation of other tobacco products; providing for the termination of certain
provisions of this Act; providing for a delayed effective date for certain
provisions of this Act; providing for the application of this Act; requiring the
Governor to include certain appropriations for certain purposes in the State
budget for certain fiscal years; making this Act contingent on the taking effect of
another Act; requiring the Governor to make certain appropriations in the
budget for certain fiscal years; and generally relating to the taxation of
cigarettes and other tobacco products.