Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: January 27-29, 2015
I would first like to thank the meteorologists for making this article necessary. Was this the new ‘faith-based’ meteorology? Rest assured I won’t be watching the insipid smile-meisters on the Weather Channel to find out what went wrong with their model. Don’t have the time. (Personal to Al Roker: Eat something, willya? The human shar pei look is disconcerting.)
I’m now assuming the General Assembly will meet today, so you’re gonna get the Full Monty weekly preview. The last preview before the six-week break for meetings of the Joint Finance Committee meetings. Which reminds me, the Governor will submit his proposed budget later this week, which, of course, plays a central role in the work of the JFC.
The fast-track commission to identify solutions to Wilmington’s crime problems leads off today’s House Agenda. I didn’t learn much from NASCAR, but I think that “Sometimes you need to slow down to speed up” has some staying power. The skeptic in me wonders whether it makes sense to spend less than two months on this. Makes me think they’ve identified the ‘solutions’ in advance. I hope they prove me wrong. As with all commissions and/or task forces, the key is the composition of the panel. Knowing that, you can predict the findings in advance.
I like HB 17(Bolden), which “provides a mechanism for financial institutions to freeze transactions that they suspect are financial exploitation of an elderly person and requires them to report suspected financial exploitation to the proper state or federal agency.”
This may come as no surprise, but certain vacation homes are exempt from the Landlord-Tenant Code. This special interest legislation adds ‘Cedar Creek Hundred’ to the list of exemptions, thus exempting vacation homes in Slaughter Beach from the landlord-tenant requirements.
Today’s Senate Agenda features legislation increasing the penalty for terroristic threatening, and legislation clarifying the appointment process for the medical marijuana oversight committee.
There are some real important committee meetings this Wednesday. The Senate Executive Committee considers two significant nominations, Jennifer Cohan for Secretary of Transportation, and Scott Green to chair the Del-Tech Board of Trustees. Cohan is the governor’s designated replacement for the great Shailen Bhatt. As Director of the Division of Motor Vehicle, she has presided over one of the most efficient of state agencies. She’s earned her promotion. They don’t come any more politically-connected than Scott Green, a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker, who is kinda like Mike Harkins without the criminal record. In other words, he’s ideal to push the most unsavory aspects of the Del-Tech agenda.
Other Senate Committee highlights:
*consideration of Matt Denn’s firearms prohibition bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
One final note on the Senate committee schedule: Four, count ’em, four Senate committees have meetings scheduled but have no posted agenda. Sen. Bethany Hall Long is a two-time offender when it comes to not providing committee agendas. I know it’s early in the year, but these are veteran legislators who have not provided the requisite public notice.
House Committee highlights include:
*Paging Mitch Crane: What appears to be a major captive insurance bill will be considered in the House Business Lapdog Committee. Sponsored by (perhaps) a future candidate for Insurance Commissioner in Rep. Bryon Short. Based on some of the co-sponsors, it’s probably more ‘good’ than ‘bad’, but I’m outta my league here.
*Mike Barbieri’s legislation codifying the State Office of Financial Empowerment will be considered in the House Health & Human Development Committee.
Pete and Val make the rules, Pete and Val break the rules. The House House Administration Committee will meet, agenda to be announced. Hey, when you’re in charge, you can thumb your nose at public notification requirements.
Hmm, this one sounds kinda hinky. Can someone translate this synopsis into English for us non-gun users:
“This bill updates requirements for handguns used for deer hunting by adding a range and limit to allowable handgun calibers to accommodate changing handgun availability while maintaining public safety and handgun hunting efficacy.”
Sounds like we’re legalizing a more powerful weapon for deer hunting w/o saying so. In the House Natural Resources Committee…along with a bill to legalize the wanton slaughter of Delaware’s State Varmint, the grey fox. Plus, another bill that, despite some quality co-sponsors, raises questions for me: HB 26(Ramone) has the following synopsis:
Currently only persons who are blind are exempt from hunting and fishing license requirements. This amendment will provide a hunting and fishing license exemption (not trapping) to all persons who have a severe, chronic mental or physical disability(??). As the person having these disabilities is often unable to participate in hunting and fishing requirements without assistance, any person providing attendant services for these individuals is also temporarily exempt.
Somebody please tell me that a person with PTSD and/or related anger management issues is not covered by this legislation. Please?
That’s it for now. Updates as warranted. Post-Game Wrap-Up on Friday.
Tags: Delaware General Assembly, El Somnambulo, Featured, Jennifer Cohan Delaware, Scott Green Delaware, Steve Tanzer Delaware
“Sounds like we’re legalizing a more powerful weapon for deer hunting w/o saying so.” I hope that isn’t the case. Delaware’s flat topography isn’t suited to hunting with handguns that shoot like rifles.
Actually, given that language (and I haven’t dug in to it) that there are currently no limits on range and caliber. This sounds like it is establishing limits.
Actually, I read the language as contradictory. Added permissible range for the weapon sounds more dangerous. Adding a limit confuses me, unless there is already a limit for allowable handgun caliber and it’s being increased.
I’m confused (what else is new?), but, when I look at the sponsors, I’m not encouraged.
“There’s a palpable sense of fear. I see it in the eyes of the governor. I see it in the eyes of Murphy, and Schwinn, and the rest of them shylocks that they have down there…” – Rep. John Kowalko, Jan. 20, 2015
“[It was] a Freudian slip of the tongue.” – Rep. John Kowalko, Jan. 21, 2015
You’re just going to ignore it, aren’t you? One week ago, an elected official used a blatantly anti-Semitic term to describe the only Jewish governor in America, as well as a Jewish DOE employee. Then, in his “apology,” the same elected official basically says, “Yeah, I thought it, but I never meant to say it.” And nary a peep from you, because John Kowalko is your liberal folk hero.
Too much cognitive dissonance? Your hypocrisy is stunning.
He’s not MY liberal folk hero.
I’d simply come to the conclusion that DL is better when Kowalko is not the center of the attention, primarily b/c Kowalko is an attention junkie. I don’t like to see someone as adrift as he appears to be right now. But, you’re right. We should discuss it.
John is now a caucus of one. He has frittered away any legislative influence he might have had. One public tantrum after another, many of them of the personal variety. I think that there are progressive legislators who just wish he’d go away b/c he makes it MORE difficult, not LESS difficult, to get progressive legislation enacted.
Having said that, I’ve never known John to be anti-Semitic and, yes, I’m Jewish. But, he said what he said. I think he was just verbally baling water as fast as he could. The bad news is: It’s b/c he’s hit the iceberg. I just find it all sad.
Some legislative updates. Alex Pires is scheduled to get a vote on his customized banking bill on Thursday.
The Rethugs once again prove they’re not serious. Introduced yesterday:
SB 15 (Bonini) establishes Ronald Reagan Day in Delaware.
SB 17 (Simpson) repeals the Delaware Estate Tax.
Oh, and HCR 5, an R resolution apparently designed to take MORE funding away from public schools.
Modern reality is that the word Shylock now needs to be stripped from public discourse. Some people take far too much glee in hearing it uttered.
But in the play,the character Shylock, like all Shakespeare characters, embodies certain universal human traits regardless of religion or ethnicity. It was only in my lifetime and Kowalko’s that the word Shylock became identified as a radioactive slur. The Elizabethan Shylock was no more a slur on Jews, than the murderous Othello was a slur on blacks.
Biden and Kowalko are at fault for having learned the Shakesperian meaning of Shylock, and for not integrating the spin their modern opponents now place upon the word.
Besides, Shylock isn’t even a very good analogy for what Markell and DOE are doing to public education. A more appropriate reference might be Bull Connor.
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ES – If you think DL is better when Kowalko is not the center of attention, you must have done so recently, considering that Kowalko is the subject of 5 DL stories this month, and probably hundreds since this site began.
I’m not sure what you mean by “verbally baling water,” and whether you mean this as an excuse or an explanation for JK’s behavior. If your point is that Kowlako has turned into an unhinged lunatic, that never stopped you from writing about Chip Flowers. And anyway, my point was that Kowalko’s “apology” was not a “heat of passion” statement, but a considered response to serious allegations. I also forgot to include this largely unnoticed gem from JK’s apology: “I don’t think I have to apologize for some kind of attempt to denigrate someone.”
Ask yourself this: Is an anti-Semitic slur less any hateful when it’s directed at a powerful person you don’t like?
He said that? Wow. The guy is his own worst enemy.
Rod: If you’ve bothered reading this blog, which you claim you have, my opinions on Kowalko have been pretty steadfast.
He has, however, even kicked it up a couple of notches since his ‘demotion’. The pointless diatribe against Scwhartzkopf, pointless in the sense that (a) he had already blistered Schwartzkopf, then called a press conference to do the exact same thing, and (b) he blew up any remaining credibility he had as a legislator, is the newer, more out-of-control, Kowalko.
By ‘verbally baling water’, I mean that he just keeps talking until/unless something makes sense. Unfortunately, it rarely does. It sounds like he was well into one of those endless diatribes when he decided to, um, reference Shakespeare.
Plus, as you proved with your first comment, even when I try to avoid talking about Kowalko, someone brings him up.
I’ve been waiting to see whether Kowalko’s poor choice of words was going to get a mention on DL. Contrasted with the response to a poor choice of signs in Spanish for a Milton park and similar slights, the response for this is interesting.