Hours of planning and waiting Tuesday morning turned into an afternoon of frantic activity as lawmakers wrapped up the five-day special legislative session.

Gov. Bill Richardson waded into the session Tuesday, meeting with lawmakers mid-day and apparently helping to broker a deal.

While he didn't comment in person, he did release a short statement that most frequently used the word "modest" to describe the session.

Legislators gave final approval to a health care expansion for uninsured children, but the proposal was trimmed substantially from what Richardson had first sought.

Lawmakers provided $32 million for health care programs, including $20 million to expand Medicaid and another program to cover an estimated 17,000 uninsured children.

Richardson asked lawmakers to spend $58 million to expand the health programs to try to reach an estimated 50,000 children without medical insurance.

The bill, first passed by the Senate, provides a total of $32 million, with $20 million of that earmarked to get more children through age 18 enrolled in the Medicaid program.

The bill strips out mandatory coverage for children 18 and under, removes guarantees of coverage despite pre-existing conditions, gets rid of premium increase caps, and jettisons requirements for insurance companies.

The governor's proposed tax rebate plan was also modified by the Senate. Under the Senate revisions, taxpayers earning up to $30,000 a year would get $50 for themselves and for each dependent.

Those making $30,000 to $50,000 a year would get $40 and those earning $50,000 to $70,000 a year would get $25.

A House committee amended that tax rebate to a more generous package, but ended up passing the Senate version on Tuesday.

State officials said if people have filed their taxes or form by Sept. 15 , they should get their check by Thanksgiving via a check in the mail on a staggered schedule.

The Legislature also approved and sent to the governor $200 million for highway construction.

In other special session developments:

• Lawmakers sent Richardson a bill that allocates more than $7 million in federal funds received by New Mexico to a state child care program. It would allow the costly program to keep the 22,800 child care slots it currently has for the lowest-income families and open more than 500 slots for more children.
• Richardson will be considering a measure providing $1.6 million to the secretary of state to help pay for the Nov. 4 general election. State lawmakers gave final approval to the legislation Monday.
• The New Mexico House and Senate have passed differing versions of a bill providing money to the Human Services Department for a program that helps low-income residents pay home heating bills. The House approved $4 million and the Senate OK'd $1.9 million Monday.
• The state House will be considering a bill providing $4.9 million for the repair of roads and bridges damaged by recent flooding in Lincoln and Otero counties. The Senate voted Monday to approve the measure, which contains another $100,000 for emergency relief for flood victims along Rio Ruidoso.