Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show-Tuesday, June 16
“Where’s the money” is still the question d’annee, and timely answers do not appear forthcoming. The Governor’s office has subtly, perhaps too subtly, stressed the need to come up with a comprehensive solution, but so far the announced compromises have only served to widen the projected deficit, not narrow it. ‘Bulo will resist runaway train analogies, except to say that you can’t spell locomotive without ‘loco’. The General Assembly could well be surveying some twisted wreckage come June 30.
On to today’s action in Dover.
Bob Venables appears to be trying to give truckers a break with SB 130, which would end the ban on Jake Breaks, which are apparently very noisy, but less costly for truckers.
Rep. Daryl Scott has his Peach Pie as the State Dessert bill on the agenda. The bill’s topic notwithstanding, ‘bulo does not expect forces to be ‘pitted’ against each other on this one.
Rep. Schooley and Sen. Sokola have commonsense legislation eliminating the stupid ‘no discretion’ disciplinary policy that has led to laughable expulsions from public schools.
Dave McBride has SB 49, which permits the installation of solar panels by exempting installation from restrictive covenants. He also has the “Terry Spence Memorial Swimming Pool” legislation which caused the 2008 late-session bitter dust-up between Spence and Cathcart, and ultimately led Spence to sever some long-time friendships. It ain’t goin’ anywhere, and McBride probably knows it. Consider it a favor to an old friend.
Bryon Short’s HB 185 would restrict those late-in-the-campaign robocalls calling the opponent all kinds of names, but misleading the receiver of the call as to who is paying for the call. Admirable, but since when is it news when elected officials pass things that have the effect of protecting themselves?
Both Sen. McDowell’s Net-Metering bill, which was previously praised by several people on DL, and Bill Oberle’s bill banning the use of covenants to restrict wind-farm development, are scheduled for floor debate.
One of Delaware’s best legislators, Terry Schooley, has legislation giving local school districts more spending discretion while requiring greater transparency. Like the select few who stand out in Dover, Schooley works year-round on issues near and dear to her: In her case, children’s issues and educational policy. Proof that you can accomplish a lot w/o needing a battery of microphones in front of you.
That’s it for today. Come back tomorrow to see what’s cookin’ (Peach Pie?) on the floor and in committees.
You really can’t outlaw a ban, can you? More like end a ban.
What there should be a ban on is INANE BILLS THAT PROCLAIM PEACH PIE AS THE OFFICIAL DESSERT OF DELAWARE!?!?!?!
I mean WHAT. THE. FUCK. !!!
You assholes don’t have enough to do? Indeed, you are not going to be able to finish the session by June 30! Yet you are wasting our time and money to talk about and vote on PEACH FUCKING PIE!!
Daryll Scott deserves to be impeached (pun intended) for simply introducing that bill.
“Bob Venables appears to be trying to give truckers a break with SB 130, which would outlaw the ban on Jake Breaks, which are apparently very noisy, but less costly for truckers.”
Not good, especially for those of us who live along Route 40. Dave Tackett (D) got this ban on compression braking in residential areas passed a few months ago and the benefits were immediate: no more noise, and the dishes don’t rattle in the cupboard every five minutes. The truckers wouldn’t need to jake brake if they drove the speed limit and did proper maintenance on their brakes anyway.
Impressed by Delaware Dem’s cunning linguistics (others with whom ‘bulo has spoken have expressed far less enthusiasm…), the Beast Who Slumbers has changed ‘outlaw’ to ‘end’.
‘Bulo initially couldn’t find the right word, even though it was right there on the tip of his tongue…
Any truth to the rumor that Viola intends to walk his grocery-store-beer bill through the process without public hearings?
‘Bulo should immediately investigate which legislators would benefit by selling more Peach Pies in their stores if this legislation passes.
“cunning linguistics” indeed.
Jake Breaks is Cathcarts claim to fame in my parts.
Truckers roaring down the southside of the Roth Bridge and hitting the brakes as the they neared the toll plaza was the boogeyman of the hour when RT 1 was still in the blue print stage. That and light pollution from the toll plaza.
War funding: Will Mikey be for it before he was against it?
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/in-reversal-gop-balks-at-war-funding-2009-06-15.html
JM –
When I was just a youngman, new to blogging, if you voted against a war funding bill it meant that you loved terrorists and wanted to rape Mom with a hot apple pie while buring Old Glory.
Geezer asked: “Any truth to the rumor that Viola intends to walk his grocery-store-beer bill through the process without public hearings?”
Doesn’t look like it. It is scheduled for tomorrow’s House Revenue & Finance Committee meeting:
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/e955250df0285a27852568ac0070372a/fb973a199bbefa4c852575d2006360ce?OpenDocument
Oh, and for those opposed to the Jake Brakes bill, call your Senators. That, in part, is why ‘bulo posts this.
DDem – take a pill. The “feel good” bill was brought on by a bunch of school-aged youths. You tell me if he should tell them to eff off. Additionally, what really is the harm in an occassional feel-good bill amongst all the other stuff? I mean, think of you adding to a blog during the workday. It’s an escape that otherwise has no justification. Let it lay.
Sigh. Oh alright. I forgot that this was the bill the school children witnessed the debate on.
I will store my outrage in the overhead compartment.
Truckers roaring down the southside of the Roth Bridge and hitting the brakes as the they neared the toll plaza was the boogeyman…
Jason…if you think “jake breaks” was a RT1 boogeyman, ask all the small town residents that have a high-use road cut right through them (also note the banning of them in small towns, too – they don’t exactly line up with RT1). That was the impetus, led by Middletown and Odessa residents, hence why Cathcart was the main sponsor. Do you know the method of jake breaks when you hear it? If you really do, imagine your small town home, no more than 10-15 feet from the curb, with a rig barrelling through, using that method to slow down. It’s quite effed up at all hours.
If you also think that’s his local claim to fame, then you seriously refuse to allow yourself to look at your opposition in any way, except the negative one. Mrs Jason would not be amused. Put a nice, cold Corona in my hand and I will put down the phone.
Delaware Dem wrote: “I will store my outrage in the overhead compartment.”
Just don’t expect more legroom to go with that overhead outrage. From Peter King’s weekly must-read Monday Morning Quarterback column:
“You want to know a nightmare for every business traveler. It’s this recent headline in the Wall Street Journal: “Airlines Are At It Again: Less Legroom.” Seems the new 737-800s manufactured for American Airlines have the same space in the cabin as the old ones. But the old 737-800s had 148 coach seats. The new ones have 160.
Delta and Continental, too, are raising the number of seats in economy to 160. The seats are being made smaller and thinner, and the airlines are saying the “seat pitch” will be such that you won’t notice the reduction in space in coach.”
Say ‘Seat Pitch’ three times fast, and it comes out ‘Peach Pits’. Betcha Rep. Gerald Hocker has already taken notice…
RSmitty,
I guess it sounded like to was giving him shit, but the weedy patch I occupy between Frightland and Rt 13 is a nicer place because of the Jake ban.
Ah. OK, gotcha. It was the ‘boogeyman’ adjective that threw me. Usually, that’s mentioned for sarcastic measure.
I will still take the Corona, though.
There was an amendmentto HB99 to change peach pie to strawberry jello with cool whip. Seems that’s a favorite in Kent County. I wrote about this today.
This must be the freshman-razzing ritual, then.
The Cool Whip lobbyists must have shown up with their spokesmodels.
Kent County sounds like an EXCITING place.
😉
Ay-yi-yi. MJ is correct:
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislation/HA+1+to+HB+99/$file/legis.html?open
Guess Possum Pie isn’t considered a dessert.
Anonone wrote: “The Cool Whip lobbyists must have shown up with their spokesmodels.”
Wearing nothin’ but the topping. To make sure that their peach pits were covered…
OK, ‘bulo will stop now.
Thanks, Slumbering One. Surprising there is no FN – I would love to know what it cost to create and push through this ridiculous piece of legislation.
They shouldn’t just stop campaign calls, but all telemarketing calls after 8pm.
There’s already a Federal ‘do-not-call’ list anyone can get on if they wish to void telemarketing calls.
Politicians are exempt from that, hence this bill.
One major bit of unfinished business. HB 168, to repeal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, needs to get out of committee.
http://www.surj.org/news/?p=87
Polite, firm calls needed to Dennis City Williams, Larry Mitchell, Bill Carson and Biff Lee.
Growing up in Dover and going to school in the shadow of the then General Foods plant, you got to know the day of the week by the smells. Wednesday they made the chocolate pudding.
I guess if you had to locate a factory a few blocks from a school, a pudding factory wasn’t so bad.
SB130 (lifting the ban on Jake Braking in residential areas) Defeated by Senate. Votes: 7 YES 13 NO 0 NOT VOTING 1 ABSENT 0 VACANT
Good.
SB130 (lifting the ban on Jake Braking in residential areas) Defeated by Senate. Votes: 7 YES 13 NO 0 NOT VOTING 1 ABSENT 0 VACANT
Good.
Holy crap, GRex, I didn’t even know that was out there! Who the eff put that up?
Found it…SB130:
Primary Sponsor: Venables Additional Sponsor(s): Rep. Lee
CoSponsors: Sens. Adams, Bonini, Bunting, Reps. Booth, Hocker, Wilson
(not a single one north of central Kent County)
Part of the synopisis:
The ban was imposed because of the noise the braking system can cause without proper mufflers; however, enforcing equipment and noise laws should suffice to curb noise violators.
How in the eff did that work before the ban, you kowtowing shmucks? Most of your areas don’t have to deal with the rumbling of all hours of rigs. While I do understand the problem of costs, don’t tell me how law enforcement will be ready to pounce on the offenders to effectively replace the ban. They are already too busy for you to put this on their plate! Get the manufacturers to silence the obnoxious, window-rattling, sleep-depriving noise, then we can talk. Until then, tell your friends, “not in our towns!”