Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., April 16, 2019
It’s a new week. I’m feeling charitable. How about–a shout-out? Not just a shout out, but a shout-out to President Pro-Tempore Dave McBride.
I just love the fact that he posts the scheduled agendas for the entire week well in advance of Tuesday’s session. Sometimes, the bills don’t get worked b/c perhaps they don’t make it out of committee, or sometimes a key senator is absent. But, I love the advance notice this provides to the public. While it may seem incremental, it’s a positive step towards a more open process. It may be an overdue shoutout, but McBride deserves credit for doing it.
Here is the Senate Agenda for today, and the scheduled agendas for the rest of the week. As you can see, tomorrow’s agenda is especially important, with both HB 63 and SS1/SB 37 on the Agenda. HB 63 is facing a close vote. I think it has 11 votes, but you’re never sure until we get to roll call. Looks like the formula will be Ennis and Paradee as nos, and Cloutier as a yes. Which would be 11 yes. Watch out for unfriendly amendments, especially from Delcollo. But that’s all for tomorrow.
The key bill on today’s Agenda is HB 46(Kowalko), which creates a Delaware Manufactured Home Owner Attorney Fund. I love this bill. This is a bill that epitomizes what the Democratic Party should be about:
The Attorney Fund will be administered by the Department of Justice to contract with an attorney or agency who will provide legal representation and advocacy for manufactured home owners enforcing existing rights in disputes with community owners.
Protecting people from getting screwed by the overlords. I don’t expect any of the Senate D’s to vote no. Ain’t no Andria Bennetts in the Senate. I expect at least one or more R yes votes. Here’s what I want to see: Will all the lower-slower Senate Rethugs vote against manufactured home residents in their own districts? 8-Ball sez “Signs Point To Yes”. Clip and save for the elections. And get out and register and organize those who live in manufactured home communities. Make ’em pay for their no votes.
Only one bill of note on today’s House Agenda. HB 102(K. Williams) ‘allows a person who is arrested or convicted of any crime, except a violent felony, which was a direct result of being a victim of human trafficking may file an application or for a pardon or expungement or make a motion to vacate judgment’. That sentence doesn’t parse so well, but it’s a real good bill. Why further victimize victims?
Since I can only work with the material at-hand, I’m done for today. Tomorrow will be meatier, with lots of interesting bills in committee. See you then.
Why is Bryan Townsend sponsoring an amendment to HB63 WITH nra lackey Anthony DelCollo? WTF?
What’s the amendment?
Here’s the amendment:
http://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=47349
Here’s what it does:
” This Amendment removes the burden placed on a person to prove an affirmative defense and instead requires the State to prove all of the following apply: (1) A firearm was not stored in a locked box or container, disabled with a tamper-resistant trigger lock which was properly engaged so as to render the firearm inoperable by a person other than the owner or other lawfully-authorized user. (2) A firearm was not stored in a location which a reasonable person would have believed to be secure from access by an unauthorized person. (3) An unauthorized person did not obtain the firearm as the result of an unlawful entry by any person.”
He didn’t ‘co-sponsor’ the amendment with Delcollo. As you can see, there are several co-sponsors, including some of the most liberal senators.