Let’s talk about ‘taking a walk’. In legislative parlance, the phrase means ‘disappearing during a roll call so that you will be recorded as absent on a certain vote’. And, yes, Andria Viola Bennett took such a walk yesterday, and it imperiled a good piece of legislation from her Dover colleague Rep. Sean Lynn. Here is the bill in question. The bill states that ‘a crime is committed when a person intentionally or recklessly stores or leaves a loaded firearm where a minor or other person prohibited by law, or “unauthorized person,” can access the firearm, and the unauthorized person obtains the firearm’.
Hoo boy, this roll call. The bill only got 21 yes votes. Not a single R voted for it. D’s voting no: Lumpy Carson and Mike Mulrooney. And then there were four ‘Absents’. Bennett, Hudson, Longhurst, and Ramone. Of those four, both Longhurst and Hudson were legit absences for the entire day. Bennett and Ramone ‘took walks’. I’ll say it again: In a district as Democratic as Bennett’s, there is no excuse for not primarying her. I believe that Sen. Roman Hruska once said that ‘Mediocre people deserve representation too’. I want to know: What’s the next step down from mediocre? And bleeping Ramone? C’mon. Someone needs to challenge these serial…mediocrities. Oh, and a big thumbs-up to Melissa Minor Brown for primarying NRA shill Mike Mulrooney. She’s been a nurse with both the VA and the Department of Corrections. She’s seen the damage that deadly weapons inflict. If I were her, I’d put the gun issue front and center as Mulrooney is totally out of touch with his district on this.
Only two legislators had the good sense to vote against Melanie Smith’s phony ‘Sustainability Attainability’ bill: John Kowalko and Kim Williams.
I was right. Senate Rethugs didn’t just want to kill the rights of public employees, they also wanted to stomp on their graves. Only Senators Cloutier and DelCollo voted yes on this bill. And only Cloutier voted yes on this bill. Rethugs gonna Rethug.
Speaking of which, 8 House R’s voted against allowing counties to raise the lodging tax by a modest margin. Why? Who knows?
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report in its entirety. I’ve only skimmed the surface.
OK, kids, it’s committee time. We’ll start today with the Senate highlights:
*SB 189 (McDowell) supposedly would bring Delaware into compliance with Federal requirements regarding enforcement of ‘underground excavation violations’. You see, the State, particularly DNREC, wasn’t seeking out violations and wasn’t enforcing them even when the agency knew. Because that’s how the Delaware Way rolls. Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Committee.
*Here’s a bill that I like, and it’s an important one. SB 176 (Hansen) ‘creates a Prescription Opioid Impact Fund funded by a Prescription Opioid Impact Fee (“Fee”) that is paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers’. It’s a complex bill, and it remains to be seen if it’s ready for prime time yet. I do have one question. The bill’s synopsis claims that ‘Delaware leads the nation in the number of prescription opioids dispensed and drug overdose deaths.’ That can’t be true. I mean, not even on a per capita basis. Looks like they might have copied a synopsis from another state. Am I wrong?
*Delaware’s version of the Equal Right Amendment will be considered in the Senate Executive Committee. As it is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution, it will have to pass identically in two consecutive sessions of the General Assembly. Believe it or not, five representatives voted against the bill when it was considered in the House. These five: Collins, Dukes, Postles, Wilson and Yearick.
Today’s House Committee highlights:
*HB 375 (Mitchell) prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer, or delivery of large-capacity magazines, which are defined as ammunition feeding devices with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds. Of course, Mitchell has already introduced an amendment raising the prohibition from 10 to 17 rounds. Jee-zus. Judiciary Committee
…provides for election day registration for presidential primary, primary, special, and general elections whereas currently the deadline is the fourth Saturday prior to the date of the election. Moreover, same day registration at polling places will be permitted with submission of valid government issued identification or other generally accepted proof of identification.
House Administration Committee.
Well, looks like it’s pretty certain that the Equal Rights Amendment will make it out of the Senate Executive Committee. After all, it’s also #1 on today’s Senate Agenda.
Still no movement on gun bills in the Senate. I just might have to make a few calls…
