The picture emerging from Dover is that of a dispirited Senate Democratic Caucus and the State Senate as a whole. The ongoing DeLuca saga and the DeLuca/Peterson imbroglio is wearing on the body’s members. The News-Journal’s Chad Livengood blogs:
During an opening prayer, Sen. Robert Venables, D-Laurel, alluded to the Democratic caucus infighting between DeLuca and Sen. Karen Peterson, who has contended DeLuca uses his position as president pro tem “as a club” at the Department of Labor to do what he pleases…
“There’s certainly a lot of things going on that have created a lot of tension and discussions,” Venables said at the beginning of his prayer.
Senate Democrats invited Labor Secretary John McMahon into their closed-door meeting, but didn’t explain why. It’s unclear who invited McMahon to the meeting.
Might I respectfully suggest a solution? One that I suspect those savvy in the art of compromise (i.e. legislators) might embrace and may well be considering now. I would hope that there is a growing recognition that DeLuca is no longer credible as President Pro-Tempore, nor is he someone senators can defend to their constituents. Based on the comments coming from the caucus, it appears that many members blame Sen. Peterson for the acrimony at least as much as DeLuca. If they view DeLuca as politically radioactive, reach consensus by putting together a leadership team that reflects both camps, something like Blevins/Katz or Blevins/Sokola. It is not as if D senators from both the DeLuca and Peterson camps can’t work together, it’s just that the two indivudual adversaries have a history and mutual disdain that renders their battle toxic. While some in the DeLuca camp may resent the way that this issue has been escalated by the other side, they will need for their own electoral sake to grudgingly accept a compromise. For those in the Peterson camp who view this as a progressive vs. status quo battle, a compromise of this sort moves the ball closer to the goal line.
Perfect? No. Better? I say yes. And it puts the stress of this conflict mostly behind them.
Other than that, nothing of note took place in the Senate yesterday. Unless changes to the Frankford Town Charter get your juices flowing.
The House passed that Synthetic Cannaboids ban, sponsored by Sussex County’s Most Endangered Incumbent House member, Ruth Briggs King. Only John Kowalko voted no.
The House also unanimously passed SB 16(Sokola), which would help Delaware schools to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers by allowing schools to hire educators earlier. Since a House amendment was added to the bill, SB 16 returns to the Senate for a final vote. Look for it to head to the Governor’s office by week’s end.
Here is the entire Session Report for yesterday.
Today is committee meeting day, and SB 30, which would legalize civil unions, is today’s headliner. The hearing takes place at 2 p.m. in the Senate Chamber. I’ve predicted that, if the bill gets out of committee, I believe it will pass. So, today is a very important day. Some other highlights from today’s scheduled Senate committee meetings:
SB 24(Blevins) expands the role of the public guardian, and changes the appointing authority from Chancellor of Chancery Court to the Governor. On paper, it seems like an affirmative step to me. Read it and let me know what you think. The Public Guardian plays an important role in the protection of the elderly and the disabled. In today’s Senate Youth, Children & Families Committee.
Two controversial (to some) bills will be considered in today’s Senate Health & Social Services Committee. SB 12 (Henry) ‘removes the prohibition against persons convicted of any drug felony from receiving federal food benefit assistance.’ And SB 13 (Henry) makes permanent a pilot needle exchange program that was first established in 2006 and scheduled for ‘sunset’ after five years. I wonder which legislators will use the “This sends the wrong message” canard to oppose it. Bottom line: The program has proven successful, and it is in the interest of the public’s health to make it permanent.
The Senate Judiciary Commitee will consider HB 5 (Bennett), which ‘…set(s) a deadline when public bodies must provide a public record to a person making a request under the Freedom of Information Act’ ; and HB 19 (George), which among other revisions to Delaware’s drug laws, eliminates minimum mandatory sentences for non-violent drug offenders. Only John Atkins voted ‘no’ in the House. Expect this bill to move through the Senate swiftly this year after the Diminutive Despot buried it in his Senate Executive Committee last session.
House committees are equally busy today.
The House Economic Development/Almost Everything Else Committee considers HB 54 (B. Short), which provides yet more regulatory relief for Delaware small business. I’ve expressed my ambivalence before, as I fear that there is a Chicago School of Economics meme (i.e. ‘from a cost-benefit analysis, it is better for 5K people to die in Pinto crashes than to assume the costs required to fix the defective parts’) in all this, but I’ll hold back for now as both John Kowalko and Dave Sokola are on the bill. Yes, sometimes even I partially judge a bill by its cosponsors.
The House Education Committee considers HB 42 (Scott), which ‘…requires the Department of Education to promulgate uniform regulations related to school discipline to provide consistency across all districts and charter schools.’ The committee also considers HS1/HB 23 (George), which tries to limit the amount of truancy in (and mostly out of) Delaware schools. Both worth checking out for those concerned about educational policy.
Department of Health & Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf will discuss ‘the effects of recently-passed legislation’ in the House Health & Social Services Committee. I assume she’s talking about federal legislation, and that the presentation will not be upbeat.
The House House Administration Administration Committee Committee (think I’m seein’ double) considers legislation to provide for the popular election of the President. I strongly support this bill, but I’m not holding my breath for its passage.
A couple of (way too) modest bills concerning firearms and ammunition will be considered in the House Judiciary Committee. Wonder if even HB 46 (D. P. Williams) and HB 48 (Longhurst) will take on incoming fire from the NRA and the ‘Delaware Sportsmen’s Association’.
Well, quite a lineup. Coming tomorrow…Medical Marijuana!