Once again, the so-called D ‘leadership’ is caving to the NRA. Check out the rewrite of HB 330, the bill that was supposed to raise the legal age for purchasing firearms from 18 to 21. Let us count the changes from the original: (1) ‘This bill permits a person to sell, give or transfer a firearm or ammunition for a firearm to a person under 21 years of age if the person under 21 is an active member of the United States Armed Forces or a law-enforcement officer or possesses a license to carry a concealed deadly weapon’; (2) The prohibition against the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person under 21 does not apply if that person is over 18 and the firearm is a shotgun or muzzle-loading rifle or if the ammunition is for such weapons; (3) (P)ermits the transfer of a firearm or ammunition to a person under 21 so long as such transfer is without compensation and the person transferring is the parent or guardian of the person under 21 or has the permission of the parent or guardian.
And that’s before the bill is even considered in committee. Which it should be today. Hey, Pistol Pete’s the sponsor. He’ll do as little as he can get away with when it comes to gun control. And he’ll allow the NRA to decide what he can get away with. Maybe the Delaware students who are walking out of school today to fight gun violence might want to pay a visit to Pete’s office and help him screw up his courage.
Virtually nothing happened yesterday. Including consideration of the minimum wage bill. For you completists, here’s Tuesday’s Session Activity Report.
HS1/HB 302(Bentz), which seeks to permit the removal of firearms from those who are a threat to themselves and others, will be considered in today’s House Administration Committee meeting, along with the aforementioned HS1/HB330.
Still no word from Jellyfish John as to when his ‘comfort level’ might rise to the point of introducing legislation banning weapons of war. Maybe the students can stop by the governor’s office and help Carney with that courage thingy. After all, Carney said he’d push for such legislation. Why the delay, John?
Here is the complete list of today’s House committee meetings. Bills of interest to me:
*HB 328 (Osienski) prohibits ‘stalking by drone’. Gotta say, that’s a phrase I never expected to write. House Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure Committee.
*HB 312 (Mitchell) adds emergency medical technicians to the County/Municipal Police/Firefighter Pension Plan. Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee.
*HB 319 (B. Short) provides that ‘…when Medicare determines that a treatment is safe for its population, commercial insurers in Delaware may no longer deny coverage on that basis’. Business Lapdog Committee.
*HB 316 (Longhurst) is a charter change for Delaware City. I generally have no interest in charter changes. But when the municipality in question is Delaware City and when the sponsors are the ethically-bankrupt duo of Rep. “PAL” Longhurst and Sen. “Jobs For Delaware Graduates” Poore, I need to at least give this bill a look-see. Well, I wonder what inspired this provision: “Changes the maximum repayment term from ten (10) to twenty (20) years for the financing of a capital asset. This change allows for a greater range of borrowing term options for the City’s consideration.” Hmmm, you don’t see a provision like that in most charters. Hey, it could be innocent, just thought I’d mention it, especially since two of the most blatant self-dealers in the General Assembly are sponsoring it. House Administration Committee. BTW ‘PAL Longhurst’, that’s a keeper.
*HB 314 (Mulrooney) looks like a bill designed to protect the bargaining rights of public employees in the event that the Supreme Court destroys the power of public employee unions like AFSCME. Labor Committee
Senate committee meeting highlights:
*SB 149 (Lavelle) creates ‘a fine for “Coal Rolling”, a practice defined as ‘the practice of modifying a diesel engine to increase the amount of fuel entering the engine in order to emit large amounts of black or grey sooty exhaust fumes into the air’. Transportation Committee.
*SB 141 (Townsend) ‘includes Department of Transportation employees who work on interstate, expressway, arterial, and collector roads in the classification of employees who are eligible to receive hazardous duty pay’. Elections & Government Affairs.
*The two gun bills that passed the House last week will be considered in the Senate Judicial & Community Affairs Committee today. HB 300 and HB 174.
*Sen. Bushweller’s latest casino bailout scheme will be considered in the Senate Finance Committee today. Lots of euphemisms, followed by gobbledygook, in the synopsis:
This Bill implements certain recommendations adopted by the Lottery & Gaming Study Commission in 2015 and the Video Lottery Advisory Council in 2017, in recognition of significant changes in the regional gaming marketplace and the State’s desire to remain competitive in the face of a proliferation of gaming venues in neighboring states. The revenue sharing model is being adjusted in a way that ensures that the State can continue to benefit from video lottery proceeds, ensures continued employment and horse racing at the State’s three video lottery facilities, and ensures that the video lottery agents will be able to reinvest capital in their facilities, effectively market their facilities, maintain their high standards of customer service and earn a fair return on their investments, all so that they can remain vibrant tourism enterprises for the State. Effective July 1, 2018, the State’s share of gross table game revenues is revised to 15%, the table game license fee is eliminated, and the State’s share of gross slot machine revenues is calculated by a reinstated and updated tiered structure as provided for in the original 1994 legislation, now using a range from 32 to 43.5 percent (after certain administrative and vendor costs). The Bill also removes the prohibition against video lottery agents operating on Christmas or Easter.
*SB 139 (Townsend) ‘…requires that health insurance offered in this State provide coverage for fertility care services, including in vitro fertilization (“IVF”) procedures, for individuals who suffer from a disease or condition that results in the inability to procreate or to carry a pregnancy to a live birth’. Health, Children & Social Services.
*The Senate Executive Committee considers several nominations, including that of Sheldon Rennie to the Superior Court, and, hey, look who’s gonna get some pocket change…Greg Fuller, Sr. Appointed to the Industrial Accident Board, a popular repository for the politically-connected. Beats running for office and losing every two years.
Back tomorrow to preview the agendas. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some Sondheim to listen to. When considering the General Assembly, ‘Send In The Clowns’ seems particularly appropriate.