Gotta move quickly today. On Al’s show at 10 am, WDEL-1150 on your AM dial.
Here’s the entire Session Activity Report from Tuesday. Lotsa stuff going on.
Legislation abolishing ‘fusion’ candidacies passed the Senate and is on its way to the Governor’s office. The bill would allow only members of a political party to seek that party’s nomination for an elected office in a primary or otherwise be nominated for office by that party. Opponents can bring their Rose Mary Woods-like contortions to our comments section, but I like the bill. Either you are a registered member of a party, or you’re not. Only members of political parties are permitted to vote in primaries. It only makes sense that you’d have to be a registered party member to seek the party’s nomination.
The feel good, do next to nothing, Bradley bills discussed yesterday also passed and are headed to the Governor.
John Atkins’ shooting doves in a barrel on Sundays bill passed the Senate, but with 6 ‘no’ votes. However, Gov. Markell is likely to view this as an ‘economic development’ bill, so he’ll probably sign it. I’d like to be surprised, though.
The House passed both bills designed to protect those facing foreclosure, HS1/HB 57(Kowalko) and HS1/HB 58(Keeley), by unanimous vote. Look for these bills to be fast-tracked in the Senate, although I’m not sure they can be worked this week. Nevertheless, they should head to the Governor’s office by the first week in June.
Also, as predicted by Yours Truly, legislation delaying the requirement that incarcerated individuals be counted at their home addresses for redistricting purposes until 2020 passed the House, and will almost certainly pass the Senate under rules suspension this week. That’s especially likely as the Senate is scheduled to release its preliminary redistricting plan this Thursday, and I can’t wait.
SB 41(Hall-Long), which would expand the New Castle County Board of Adjustment to 13 members and would require that each councilmanic district have a member, unanimously passed the House and heads to the Governor. Mark my words: No good will come of this legislation. I predict at least one indictment within five years of the effective date.
Finally, the tragicomic travails of HB 66 continue. Gerald Brady is dancing as fast as he can. Desperate to get something, ANYthing, passed to further his Orwellian purposes, he has placed yet another amendment with the bill. This one places a two-year sunset provision on his latest hidden camera/radar plan. Meaning he doesn’t have the votes to pass the bill, so he’s trying the old “This bill might suck, but it will disappear in two years barring a change of heart as to its suckiness’ trick.
Legislation legalizing medical marijuana for medicinal purposes will likely secure final Senate approval today, and will then head to the Governor’s office. Here is today’s Senate Agenda.
As usual, this is a heavy committee day for both houses. I’ll start with the Senate committee highlights:
*The Senate pieces of the package of foreclosure protection bills will be considered in today’s Senate Banking Committee meeting.
*The Senate Education Committee considers a joint resolution that would create a task force to ‘consider and evaluate options to decrease the number of public school districts in Delaware to not more than five districts.’ Good luck with that, regardless of how much sense it may make.
*Now I know why the Senate Executive Committee kept the nominees secret from the public. Here’s the complete list being considered today. Toby Ryan (didn’t know he was still alive) and Tim Sheldon being reappointed to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority. Didn’t know that you had to actually be solid waste to serve on the DSWA. Yikes!
The Senate Natural Resources & Environmental Control Committee will consider SB 64(McBride), which would ‘authorize(s) the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to adopt guidance and minimum standards to minimize risk from flooding with the input from a stakeholder advisory group’. Looks like a good bill to me. What sayeth you, Tommywonk?
Speaking of flood waters, these are the items that float my boat. YMMV.
My House Committee highlights include:
*Hopefully, the House Energy Committee will make short work of HB 86(Peterman), which would terminate Delaware’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This legislation courtesy of the Caesar Rodney Institute and the climate change deniers in the General Assembly.
*Monsignor Lavelle’s latest attempt to curry favor with the Catholic Clergy will be considered in the Health & Human Development Committee today. HB 80 raises the age of parental consent for abortions from 16 to 18. Memo to the Progressive Democrats of Delaware: In 2010, you inexplicably endorsed Gerald Brady for reelection while ignoring far more progressive legislators. His name is prominently featured as one of the prime sponsors of this bill. Congratulations on your comprehensive selection criteria. Only other D’s on this bill? Bob Venables and John Atkins.
*John Kowalko’s legislation requiring a one-year moratorium on lobbying from former General Assembly members will be considered in the House Administration Committee today.
*J. J. Johnson takes up the torch passed to him by Al and Hazel Plant. His HB 89, which would require employers to show ‘good cause’ when firing employees with more than a year with the employer, will be considered in today’s House Labor Committee meeting. It might get out of committee but, sadly, it’s not going anywhere because (all together now) it would ‘send the wrong message to business’.
I’ve saved the most momentous news for last:
Wednesday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. – Governor Markell will sign Senate Bill 30, legalizing civil unions. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N Market Street, Wilmington.
I hope and trust that those legislators who have been so instrumental in making this a reality will be able to get out of Dover and to the event in time. As critical as I’ve been of Gov. Markell on his unrelenting obsession with trickle-down economics, no one has come close to Markell in placing the prestige of his office behind ensuring equal rights for all Delawareans. It makes a big difference when a Governor lets legislators know that he’s got their back, and that he’ll be an active participant, not just someone who might or might not sign the legislation when it comes to his desk. That’s why none of this took place during Ruth Ann Minner’s time in office.
BTW, is it possible that the End-of-the Worlders got the date wrong? For many of them, it could happen tonight when the Governor affixes his signature to the civil unions bill. Making tonight the first End-Of-The-World After-Party. Party hearty! But watch out for those red light cameras…