Delaware Liberal

General Assembly Pre-Game Show/Post-Game Wrap-Up: Weds., May 15, 2019

The bad news: Nicole Poore is still in leadership.  The good news: Bryan Townsend is still in leadership. The public betrayal by Prevaricator-Pro-Tem Dave McBride and Nicole Poore will not soon be forgotten. They, whoever ‘they’ are, say that you’re only as good as your word in politics. Meaning McBride and Poore are no good. ‘They’ are right. Nothing that McBride or Poore say from this point on can ever be believed. And, no, I’m not gonna let this go.

Finding credible challengers for Poore and McBride will be a legitimate test for progressives who, so far, have apparently not found challengers to John Carney, Chris Coons, LBR, or Mayor Mike. Wellll…maybe there will be a progressive challenger to Mayor Mike. There’s a great name floating out there. But so far, the only person publicly expressing interest is the ethical sewer known as Velda Jones Potter.

However, I digress.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.  You will note that the Rethuglicans have introduced bills that you would expect from Rethugs…except that one of them has been embraced by our allegedly ‘D’ governor. HB 155 (Ramone) would embed ‘budget-smoothing’ into the Delaware Constitution.  Sen. David Lawson, who truly is a whack-job, has introduced SB 99. Along with arguably Delaware’s Dumbest Legislator, Lumpy CArson.  Although the bill synopsis doesn’t state what the bill would  do, I think that you deserve to savor every syllable of it:

This Act is modeled after American Laws for American Courts legislation that has passed in Tennessee, Louisiana, Arizona, Kansas, South Dakota, Alabama, and North Carolina. The Declaration of Independence announced the formation of a new country that would no longer find itself in the clutches of a foreign power. For over 2 centuries, hundreds of thousands of men and women have given their lives to protect America’s sovereignty and freedom. America has unique values of liberty which do not exist in all foreign legal systems such as freedom of religion, speech, and press; due process; and the right to privacy. Unfortunately, because state legislatures have generally not been explicit about what their public policy is relative to foreign laws, the courts and the parties litigating in those courts are left to their own devices. State legislatures play a vital role in preserving fundamental constitutional rights and American values of liberty and freedom. No United States citizen or resident should be denied these guaranteed liberties, rights, and freedom.
I think it has something to do with Sharia law, though the bill doesn’t specify it by name.  “Sharia, Sharia, he’ll never stop saying Sharia.”
 
The single-use plastic bag ban passed the House.  Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the 7 no votes all came from downstate R’s.
 
It’s my job(?) to provide you with today’s committee highlights, so here goes. Starting with today’s House committee schedule:
 
*I like HB 5(Longhurst), which ‘provides sentencing judges with the discretion to sentence prison time concurrently when appropriate’. Now, kids, please remember that it was then-AG and now-Rethug Chair Jane Brady who pushed for legislation that removed this discretion from judges. Right before she negotiated herself into a judgeship. Just thought you’d like to know. Judiciary.
 
*HS1/HB 117(Kowalko) ‘prohibits the manufacture, sale, or distribution of children’s products, upholstered furniture used in residences, and mattresses that contain harmful flame retardant chemicals.’  The bill ‘does not apply to the resale of these items’. Uh, why not? If they’re harmful, they’re harmful, right? Business Lapdog Committee.
 
*Color me a bit skeptical of HB 133(Q. Johnson), which ‘amends the Delaware Governmental Accountability Act to make the annual budget process part of a performance management system of strategic planning, performance metrics and performance budgeting, dedicated to continuous process improvement that makes government more efficient, reduces costs and eliminates waste in the process and operations that deliver goods and services to taxpayers, customers and employees of State government’.  Budget-smoothing by another name? I don’t know. If you do, let us know. Administration.
 
*HB 8(Matthews) ‘seeks to improve access to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals by establishing the Ex-Offender Employment Opportunity Tax Credit that offers a tax credit to employers hiring qualified ex-offenders in an amount equal to 10% of that individuals wages, with a maximum credit of $1500.’ Revenue & Finance.

Senate committee highlights:

*There are two bills in committees today designed to provide dental services to under-served populations. SB 81(Townsend) ‘ permits an individual to practice dentistry for the Division of Public Health (Division) under a provisional license. Delaware law provides several routes for entering practice on an interim basis until full licensure can be obtained, however, none of these routes specifically permit hiring by the Division with the intent to practice in a state-supported dental clinic. This Act will assist the Division in recruiting dentists to serve those in need.’  Sunset Committee.  SB 92(Townsend) ‘expands Delaware’s Public Assistance Code to provide dental care to all eligible adult Medicaid recipients.’ Did’ja know that Delaware is one of only three states that does not offer some form of adult dental coverage through Medicaid? The other two being Alabama and Tennessee. This bill would change that. Health Social Services.

Here’s today’s Senate Agenda.  Pay close attention to tomorrow’s scheduled Senate Agenda. There are some good bills and some that are, to put it mildly, questionable. I’ll ask those questions tomorrow.

 

 

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