General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Wednesday, June 30, 2010

This’ll be quicker than I’d like. Going to work early so that I can take in the live feed of the last night of session later. Plus, my internet is zotzing in and out, courtesy of the criminals at Comcast. You can’t spell ‘bandwidth’ without ‘bandit’.

The Budget Bill passed the Senate Wednesday, 16 Yes, 4 No, and one Absent. The four no’s, courtesy of the News-Journal’s Ginger Gibson (not the Senate, which still thinks you don’t deserve to know), were Sens. Michael Katz, D-Centerville; Gary Simpson, R-Milford; Colin Bonini, R-Dover South; and Joe Booth, R-Georgetown. According to Gibson:

Katz, who broke party lines to vote no, said he did so because he felt the budget was full of “missed opportunities” for savings…

…Simpson praised Markell’s cuts, and said lawmakers should have made an effort to implement more of them.”I don’t think we had the political will to make the tough decisions,” Simpson said during debate on the bill.

Math-challenged Dick ‘Bagman’ Cathcart cavils about the bill’s alleged shortcomings:

Cathcart disputed Markell’s claim of having cut more than 500 jobs.“In best case, it’s 320,” Cathcart said, “In the worse case, there are 100 additional.”

Wonder if he’d complain were the ‘new jobs’ at Delaware State University, where he tries to land the pork.

Lotsa bills signed by the Governor yesterday. So many that the cut-and-paste-challenged in Legislative Council had to run two session reports to capture it all: Here and here.

Also, the ‘green bill’ package passed the House unamended and heads to the Governor’s desk. Viola’s special interest bill flew through unanimously. The Bradley package moved unimpeded through both chambers. And Colin Bonini got his ‘crane shot’ with the unanimous passage of the Town of Magnolia Charter Change. I’m sure his mum and dad are very proud.

Also, still a (faint) glimmer of hope for medical marijuana. Sen. Henry introduced a substitute bill yesterday, and had it laid on the table. That means that it could be considered today. Whether it can somehow make it through both chambers on the final day of session is highly problematical. Probably no better than a 10% chance that it gets done this year.

And, now a preview of today’s action. Uh…there IS no preview… unless you count this loaded Senate Agenda. Would it be in bad taste to suggest that what is not on the agenda dwarfs what is on the agenda? Thought so.

As I wrote yesterday:

Once the posted agendas are completed, the chambers work what euphemistically are referred to as ‘Must-Lists’. These lists usually are put together by the respective majority whips in the House and Senate at the request of their members, one of the few real functions of the whips. The Senate puts together lists of legislation it wants the House to consider, and the House does the same.  Sometimes, a bill will pass one house under suspension of rules and then be put on a must-list and subsequently worked in the other house. No public notice whatsoever. These lists continue to be churned out until the dying moments of session. The new ‘working agendas’ are then passed out to members in manila folders. The press never gets advance notice of what is in them and rarely even knows until the bill is discussed on the floor. There is no way any reasonable person knows what’s going on, which is precisely the point.

The good news is that we know some of what will be considered. The money bills and the Bradley package will be worked and no doubt completed tonight. And, if nothing else, this series of legislative round-ups has provided ample warning on the more questionable bills that could sneak through tonight. In fairness to this General Assembly, there are fewer than usual. And, in a salute to this General Assembly, it has been without a doubt the most environmentally-friendly legislature I can recall. Delaware has had two great DNREC secretaries in my time: Toby Clark, who held the position under Mike Castle, and Collin O’Mara, who has carved out a lasting legacy in less than 18 months.

I close with sincere best wishes for Greg Lavelle, who may miss today’s final session due to a family emergency. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Comcast willing, I’ll probably be back tonight with a bottle of white wine and  endless kibbitzing.