As the General Assembly waits for the Governor to submit his budget proposal, some real work is nevertheless being done.
At least on the House side. The House passed three bills of note yesterday. Rep. Bennett’s FOIA bill once again unanimously passed the House, as its forerunner did last year. Last year, Sen. DeLuca buried this bill in the Senate Executive Committee. The prime Senate sponsors on this bill? Senators Peterson and Katz. What are the odds that DeLuca does the ‘right’ thing this year? Time to start flooding Tony’s ‘personal assistant’ with phone calls. She should be able to hear better assuming that Fortress DeLuca has been completed. By the way, can someone please explain to me by what authority the Napoleonic Martinet was able to do this? According to Sen. Simpson, DeLuca did not even bring this proposal to the Legislative Council Committee, which is comprised of members of leadership, and which approves such things. I find that hard to believe and have to think that DeLuca had the proper authority, but I honestly don’t know. Can someone in the know clue us in on just how DeLuca was able to spend the money to make his office less accessible? Inquiring minds want to know.
Earl Jaques’ bill requiring those seeking to run in party primaries to actually be registered as members of that particular party passed as well. Some will recall the 15 minutes of fame that a couple of Dover-area libertarians had by filing to run in multiple primaries even though they weren’t members of the parties in question. They thought they had found a loophole to make a mockery of the concept of party primaries. Well, that loophole, if it even existed, will be closed soon. In some misguided notion of democracy, both Reps. Kowalko and Dennis E. Williams (the Brandywine Hundred Williams) voted ‘no’. To me the notion is simple and basic, if you want to seek your party’s nomination, you first and foremost must be a member of that party. I don’t see what’s so hard to understand about that.
A third bill amends the charter of the City of New Castle.
While I generally reserve comment on just-introduced bills until they are scheduled for committee hearings, I want everyone to know that Monsignor Greg Lavelle has once again taken up the cause of pedophile priests and those who enable them. He’s introduced two bills, here and here, to limit damages that impact exactly one, and only one, section of the Delaware Code. That section?:
“§ 8145. Civil suits for damages based upon sexual abuse of a minor by an adult.”
The more things change…
All was quiet from Fortress DeLuca and the State Senate yesterday.
There actually is a Senate Agenda today. While there’s only one bill on it, it’s an important bill. HB 1(Schooley) will, from a practical standpoint, ensure that the State of Delaware is eligible for $33 million annually in Federal education funds. It has been fast-tracked through the General Assembly and no doubt will be signed by Governor Markell by week’s end. The only real suspense is to see whether Bloviator Bonini votes no.
The rest of legislative session is once again given over to committee meetings. Let’s track the highlights, starting with the Senate:
*Well, whaddaya know? Meet the new year, same as the old year. Tiny Tony’s fealty to FOIA doesn’t extend to letting us know exactly whose nominations by the Governor will be considered by the Senate Executive Committee this week. Perhaps Tony’s ‘personal assistant’ was too busy showing DeLuca how to manipulate his, um, technology at his ‘other’ job?
*Sen. Henry’s needle exchange legislation will be considered in today’s Health & Social Services Committee meeting. Hopefully, this will be the year…
*A joint House/Senate meeting of the respective Transportation committees will hear a presentation from DELDOT. Now, that should be interesting.
*Sen. Bethany Hall-Long seems to love FOIA as much as Tony DeLuca does. Her County/Community Affairs Committee meets today to consider…”Review of Bills as assigned”. This does not constitute proper notice, and Hall-Long knows it. I guess someone has to keep the memory of Nancy Cook alive.
*The Senate Education Committee considers SB 16(Sokola), which “implements the recommendations of the Senate’s Teacher Hiring Task Force. It will result in the creation of an estimated unit count each March, which the Department of Education will conduct using existing resources. The state will guarantee that school districts receive unit funds for the following school year equivalent to 98% of the estimated unit count. This will allow districts to make offers of employment to new teachers in the late spring and early summer. The Act also requires greater transparency by school districts with respect to their hiring practices. The Act must be reauthorized prior to April 1, 2012, so the state has an opportunity to ensure that the estimated unit count is reliable. I would like to know what Joanne Christian thinks of this bill. JC, the floor is yours.
A check at the House meeting schedule suggests that…uh, most of the meetings have been canceled. Is session gonna be snowed out? I wrote all these well-burnished words for nothing? Of course not, that was just a rhetorical question. I wrote them for you.
If indeed you find yourself cocooned at home with nothing on but your radio, sidle on over to WDEL-1150 on your dial and curl up with Al Mascitti and El Somnambulo as we discuss the latest legislative, political and governmental doings today. Al’s show is from 9 a.m. to noon. I ‘ll make it in from Parts Unknown at 10 (had a grueling match with Teletubbymundo in Wilkes Barre last night). Governor Markell, you will get Priority Treatment if you call in to discuss changing our Flat Tax for Billionaires (I’m for it, are you?). And, Senator DeLuca, feel free to discuss FOIA and Your Fortress Solitude with us as well. Finally, each and every one of you reading these daily screeds are invited to join our talkfest at 10 today.
See you tomorrow when the General Assembly almost has to be in session, snow or no snow. Either that, or JFC hearings could get pushed back.