General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Marriage equality is on the fast track.
How fast? HB 75 (Smith) was introduced last week while the General Assembly was out of session, and will be considered in the House (House) Administration Committee this Wednesday, 2:30 pm, House Chamber. It is at least possible that the full House could consider the bill as early as this Thursday. For those of you who have not yet checked, here are the sponsors and co-sponsors of HB 75:
Prime Sponsor: M. Smith; Additional Sponsors: Rep. Schwartzkopf & Rep. Longhurst & Sen. Sokola & Sen. Blevins; Co-Sponsors: Reps. Barbieri, Baumbach, Bolden, Brady, Heffernan, Keeley, Kowalko, Mulrooney, Osienski, B. Short, Viola, D.E. Williams, K. Williams; Sens. Henry, McDowell, Peterson, Poore, Townsend.
Thanks to each and every one of you. By my count, there are sixteen House members as sponsors. 21 votes are needed for passage. I know, or at least suspect, that there are silent commits from some below the Canal. However, there are a few notable absences, and I would encourage you to contact them if you are one of their constituents:
Charles Potter, 1st RD: He has been a strong advocate for civil liberties, there are many marriage equality supporters in his north Wilmington district, but he has not yet taken a position;
Deborah Hudson, 12th RD: She has generally been a moderate on social issues and, again, there are many marriage equality proponents in her Chateau Country district;
John Mitchell, 13th RD: He was ‘almost’ Speaker, and he could wind up there someday…if he does the right thing;
James ‘J. J.’ Johnson, 16th RD: He represents part of the City of Wilmington and has an overwhelmingly D majority district;
Mike Ramone, 21st RD: It’s possible that Ramone has already announced his support, as he has increasingly cast more and more progressive votes;
Joe Miro, 22nd RD: This Pike Creek R has lots of marriage equality proponents in his district.
Keep in mind that each of these representatives could well be ‘gettable’ on this vote. When you contact them, be positive. Encourage them to support HB 75. If they commit to supporting the bill, thank them and let them know that you have their backs. With some of the potential ‘silent’ commits, HB 75 has a great chance to pass the House, perhaps with a strong mandate.
Time to check out today’s agendas, starting with the House. Hmmm, maybe today’s the day that Johnny Larue finally gets his crane shot Rep. Earl Jaques gets a vote on HB 20. Bill’s been on the agenda for about a month now. It simply provides for ‘no excuses’ absentee voting, meaning you can vote absentee without having to come up with some excuse. First leg of a constitutional amendment, so it wouldn’t take effect in 2014, but could by 2016. Excellent bill.
On the flip side of the equation, Delaware’s Most Unhinged Legislator (hint: he’s also the most ‘law-abiding’, except when speeding and/or drinking) rises to the occasion to protect Our American Flag. No pesky ordinances will get in the way of flying Old Glory if John Atkins has his way by passing HB 44. Only question is, will the House pull the plug on this, or will they let the Senate do their dirty work for them? Atkins has run this up the flagpole, let’s see if anyone salutes.
Folks, I’ve come around 180 degrees on this. We need John Atkins in Dover. I hereby announce my intention to head down to Sussex County in 2014 and fight for his reelection. Whether he likes it or not. In the name of comedic relief. Who’s with me??
The Senate Agenda is a bit more…serious. SB 27(Sokola) would ‘authorize the Department of Education, pending available funds, to offer competitive two year start-up grants to public schools for the purpose of developing new programs for students capable of performing accelerated academic work.’ I know that some of you have spirited opinions on this bill, so have at it in the comments section.
Only one more vote before HB 10(Keeley) becomes law. The Hazel D. Plant Voter Restoration Act would ‘…eliminate(s) the existing five-year waiting period before eligible felons who have fully discharged their sentences may have their voting rights restored.’ A very good bill moved through in a truly bipartisan manner.
Finally, HB 24(Barbieri), which addresses school truancy. Here’s the synopsis:
This Bill implements recommendations from the Truancy Task Force by changing provisions of the Delaware Code regarding compulsory attendance and when a truancy case must be brought to the Truancy Court. Specifically, school attendance requirements shall apply to enrolled students through grade 12 and the school shall refer a case for prosecution after the 20th day of unexcused absence by a student. The amendments will provide for earlier intervention by the Court as well as providing a mechanism to address the needs of truant students past grade 5.
HB 24 passed the House unanimously, and seems like solid legislation to me. What saith the education experts on here?
Coming tomorrow: Lotsa gun bills in committee. (1) Will Delaware’s Most Notorious Pigeon-Maimer make an appearance in the Hall? (2) Will any Rethug ask him why he takes such delight in shooting at wounded and dazed birds? My predictions: Yes…and no.
Tags: Delaware Marriage Equality, El Somnambulo, John Sigler, Pigeon-Maimer, pigeon-shooting, Rep. John Atkins, Steve Tanzer Delaware
SB27 is the same bill that the House Education Committee (HB 46) table a few weeks ago because of questions regarding grants and long term funding. We are waiting for the House sponsor, Rep Scott to return with answers. Many of us in the House, including myself, are not very happy that Senator Sokola and Lt Gov Denn have decided to take this legislation action of redoing this bill now as a Senate bill instead of allowing the normal legislation process to proceed.
Representative Mike Ramone is co-sponsoring HB 75. He was at the marriage equality introduction press conference and announced as such.
The News Journal also includes him as a co-sponsor: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130414/OPINION11/304140033/Same-sex-marriage-deserves-passage
I’m not sure why he’s not on the legis.delaware.gov site for the bill as a co-sponsor.
Thanks, Ezra. I THOUGHT that Ramone had publicly endorsed the bill, but didn’t see his name on the sponsors list.
And, thank you to Rep. Ramone!
Ramone supports the bill, I thought he was co-sponsoring it, too. I would imagine he’s taking some pretty big heat for this from Republicans.
Op-Ed today accusing GOP of playing *Gasp* politics with Earl Jaques’ HB 20 absentee ballot bill. They need at least one GOP to move it because it is a constitutional amendment. Hostage is an ugly word….
Also, my brother from Texas was up recently who gave me an inside track on HB 44, the flag bill. Tom is Pres. of his Maintenance Corp. and said that this bill was passed in TX already. His neighborhood had to revise their flag policy to comply.
John Atkins is running ‘traveling’ bills – yes there is another one.
The very worrisome traveling bill from Atkins is his stab at a constitutional amendment in Ag, HB 63.
I am going to be writing a story about it because it is not a Delaware bill. It is a bill straight out of the west, one of the Dakotas I think.
HB 63 should be a simple Resolution. It is so broadly written – farmers shall be entitled to farm forever with modern technology etc. – that without definitions of modern technology, we may end up with some pretty scary constitutionally protected bioengineered crap in our fields if we don’t watch out.
I thanked Mike Ramone for standing up at the rally and supporting the bill. His simple response was that it is the right thing to do! Though he may get grief from some in his party, the majority of the voters polled in his district support marriage equality. If some Republican are unhappy with him, I am sure he would be welcome in the Democratic Party-and would be re-elected all the same.
Wonder if we could get someone to add an amendment to Atkins’ bill making it illegal for someone who doesn’t think the lunar landing happened to hold public office?
Even better, the entire GA should ignore this bill — worthy or not — from a legislator who has the nerve to disparage a signature American achievement.
I know that some DL readers were critical of Karen Peterson for discouraging a D challenge to Ramone in 2012.
Looks like she knew what she was doing.
Nancy Willing is spot on with HB 63. That is one scary bill, making it unconstitutional to stop a farmer from using whatever kind of chemical or GMO stuff they want.
This bill needs to be stopped, it’s crazy dangerous.
It looks like HB 63 would let farmers do what they want without any consideration to environmental impact.
An easy way to kill this thing is to add an amendment that makes the farmer, landowner, corporation responsible for environmental impact and cleanup of said impact. Make sure that sales of farmlands must be accompanied with a detailed environmental review. Also say that no state funds will be available for cleanup.
And I’m once again interested in the direct wine shipment bill (not a big deal in the scheme of things, I admit) — HB60. Time for this to pass, people.
Nancy is likely on to something. Seriously, House Rethugs appear to be holding HB 20 hostage since one or two R votes are needed to pass it, as it is a 2/3 bill.
These ‘legislators’ have nothing to offer. They substitute this kind of crap for substance. The Op-Ed in today’s paper is, if anything, too polite.
Can someone, ANYone, from the R caucus explain why they refuse to support this bill?
Can someone, ANYone, from the R caucus explain why they refuse to support this bill?
If one were a Republican in a State with near majority Democratic registration I would guess that making it easier to vote would not be one of your top priorities.
Steve, used to be that those most likely to vote absentee were businessmen who were traveling out of state. Mostly R’s.
There really isn’t any kind of disproportionate advantage to D’s by passing this.
It’s just pointless obstructionism.
It is utterly ridiculous for it to be required that a voter have vacation or business excuse be notarized. I just check the sick box.
I even resent that I can’t vote on line (although I recognize we aren’t quite there yet emotionally or technically).
Atkins farm bill was voted on and passed unanimously by the Delaware Farm Beruea. As Chair of the House Ag Committee, Im sure he introduced it on their behalf.
El Som
I know–I was being sarcastic.
The reality is that our elections ought to take place over several days, anyway.
I hear that the No-Excuse Absentee was shot down.
Needed 25 votes to pass… Which D’s didn’t support it?
@Steve Newton – The better question is why our state election commissioner has been against any sort of expanded voting measures.
I think it needed 28 to pass. 2/3 of 41 is…something like 27.3, right?
Anyway, I’m guessing that the House D’s got tired of Rethug obstructionism, and decided to smoke them out.
There are parliamentary ways to revive the bill. In fact, one of the D’s likely switched their vote from Y to N for just that purpose. Anyone who voted on the ‘prevailing’ side can move to have the bill restored. Which is just what will happen.
El Som – You’re right, working too fast!
Yep, straight party-line vote:
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis147.nsf/7712cf7cc0e9227a852568470077336f/f16b70be939f32c785257b4f006f8eaa?OpenDocument