General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., Jan. 18 & Weds. Jan. 19, 2011

Is El Somnambulo getting lazy? Maybe yes, maybe no,  but that’s not the reason I’m combining these two days into one post.

Even by legislative standards, this has been the quietest opening of a session that I can recall. Very few bills and very little activity.

In fact, judging by the latest Session Activity Report, nothing happened on Thursday, Jan. 13. Other than the mere holding of session cost the taxpayers unnecessary money.  The items listed here as Senate activity actually took place during the Special Session in December.

As to Tuesday’s upcoming activity:

Senate Agenda

and, House Agenda.

In other words, Nada. With a looming budget shortfall, I wonder why they just don’t cancel the scheduled session day, keep the cars off the road, and save a few bucks. It would likely free up Sen. DeLuca’s ‘assistant’ to spend the day with him at the Department of Labor. A win-win for everyone, including, possibly, the taxpayers.

Wednesday brings committee hearings, and there are some interesting bills to be considered, especially in the House. Here are the highlights from the scheduled House meetings:

*The House Agriculture Committee will be briefed by Ag Secretary Ed Kee.

*The House Appropriations Committee will consider HB 1 (Schooley). This legislation, which would fully adopt the needs-based system for all nineteen school districts and all charter schools in the State, cleared the House Education Committee last week. However, because HB 1 has a fiscal note attached (meaning that there’s a fiscal impact to the state), it also has to go through the money committee. The House Appropriations Committee is comprised of the House members of the Joint Finance Committee. Here’s what’s important to know with this bill. While there is a Fiscal Note of $1.9 million cost to the state, in fact, failure to enact this bill could lead to a loss of $33 million in annual federal education revenues to the state. The bill has broad bipartisan support, and could well pass both houses before recess for JFC hearings at the end of next week.

*The House Education Committee considers HB 3(Kowalko). which would limit trans fats in school meals.

*The House Administration Committee, which is comprised of the House leadership, considers HB 4(Kowalko), which would prohibit legislators from coming back as lobbyists for one year after their term ends. It’s possible, just possible, that this good government bill will pass this year. Ironically, we’ve already read that former Rep. Bill Oberle is serving as an ‘unpaid lobbyist’ to the Delaware State Troopers Association. Aren’t there already enough ‘unpaid lobbyists’ for the troopers actually serving in the Delaware General Assembly? If there’s one organization not in need of a greater lobbying presence in Dover, it’s the Delaware State Troopers Association. In addition, recently-retired Rep. Pam Thornburg is lobbying for, and presumably being paid by, the Delaware Farm Bureau.   I’m sure that other recent retirees (either by choice or by electoral fiat) will likely be lobbying this year. I’ll be sure to make those public as I find out.

Finally, the House Revenue & Finance Committee will meet. Chaired by the hapless John Viola, the “(a)genda (is) to be announced”. That does not represent proper public notice, and it is very rare for the House to do something like this. Maybe Viola has yet another boutique gambling parlour proposal to unveil, and doesn’t want the public to know.

Let’s head on over to the Senate, where not providing public notice is a way of life.

The Senate Community/County Affairs Committee will consider a charter change for Milford, sponsored by Sen. Simpson. Charter changes are almost always sought by municipalities and are almost always sponsored by the senators and representatives who serve the particular municipality. The Delaware General Assembly must provide its legislative imprimatur to these proposed changes. Unless any type of controversy arises within said municipality, or unless the bill is sponsored by Colin Bonini, bills like this generally fly right through.

Sen. Margaret Rose Henry and Rep. Michael Barbieri will chair a Joint Meeting of the House and Senate Health & Social Services Committee at 2:30 p.m. to hear a presentation by the Department of Health & Social Services on the Affordable Health Care Act. This is almost certainly the single most important committee meeting that will take place this week. Medicaid cuts have been discussed as one possible savings source to address the state’s budget shortfall, and this is likely to be the first official opening salvo in this debate.

While Thursday could well see the first real agendas of session, the State of the State Address by Gov. Markell will tower over all else that takes place in Dover during January. I’ll be back to discuss this and all matters legislative on Thursday.