The prelims are out of the way. We’re in the ‘Put Up Or Shut Up’ phase of the legislative calendar. Starting with Wednesday’s committee consideration of the $15 minimum wage bill. Lest you’ve forgotten, SB 15 passed in the Senate with every single Democrat voting for it. Three putative House Democrats–Andria Bennett, Bill Bush, and Krista Griffith–have expressed concerns about a minimum wage increase. All three are on the committee that must release the bill to the House. Two of the three must vote to release the bill, or minimum wage could well die again this year. If so, it’s because John Carney wants it do die rather than have the Chamber ask him to return his participation trophy. BTW, Andria? I notice that quite a few of our readers have clicked onto articles about you recently. Are these prospective primary challengers who are checking them out? Possibly. BTW, there’s no reason to push back the effective date of the bill under the umbrella of ‘compromise’. There are 26 of you in the House. If you don’t stand up for this bill as did your Senate compatriots, you’re not really Democrats. Pass it as is, or face the consequences. You saw in 2020 that real Democrats are done playin’. Just ask Dave McBride, John Viola, Earl Jaques or Ray Seigfried, if you’re not convinced.
Once again, the House is holding two days of committee meetings followed by, with the exception of one bill, a bland agenda on Thursday.
Today’s Senate Agenda is comprised of bills from the Joint Sunset Committee addressing changes to the Delaware Advisory Council On Career And Technical Education, and the Delaware Health Information Network. These bills are leftovers from the last session, as Sunset bills just weren’t considered to be urgent legislation during last year’s COVID-truncated session.
BTW, and this passes for (somewhat) big news, the General Assembly will ease back into meeting in person. Without lobbyists in the Hall, thankfully. The House on April 29, and the Senate on or around May 11.
The only Senate Committee set to meet today is Agriculture. Meaning, let’s skip ahead to the House Committee highlights:
*HB 30 (Bolden) is an anti-democratic bill that has been around for a few legislative cycles. It moves statewide, countywide and legislative primaries from September to April. Why? The stated reason for the bill is that it will save money by pairing the primaries with the Presidential primaries. The real reason is incumbency protection. First (said Captain Obvious), there are only presidential primaries every four years–if both parties actually have competitive primaries. Second, the General Assembly has a history of moving the Presidential primaries to try to give Delaware some relevance. Would the primaries move as well? Third, this change would require challengers to campaign during the fall and winter months, where there is less daylight and more imposing weather conditions. Fourth, when you must file for the primaries by February, you will invariably have elected officials retire after the deadline. This would remove Democratic voters from the selection process for their own elected officials. Does the relatively minimal cost of holding these primaries in September every four years offset the anti-democratic features of this bill? No. Administration. (Our PAL Val, Larry ‘Three Pensions’ Mitchell and R leader Dan Short are on this committee, and are sponsors on the bill.) It’s time for our grassroots organizations to mobilize to defeat this bill. Again.
Contrast that with:
*SB 5 (Gay), which ‘creates an automatic voter registration system at the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and grants the State Election Commissioner the authority to implement automatic voter registration at other state agencies that already offer voter registration services under existing law. This Act stipulates that an unregistered adult citizen who provides proof of U.S. citizenship during a DMV license or identification card transaction will be automatically registered to vote by the Department of Elections, if otherwise eligible for registration’. This bill passed the Senate on a straight Party line vote. Administration.
*HB 90 (Brady) ‘permits a candidate committee established by a candidate for public office to pay reasonable and necessary expenses for the care of a candidate’s child or children when care is necessary in connection with the candidate’s campaign activities’. Administration.
*HB 124 (Griffith) ‘prohibits a person who is the subject of a Protection from Abuse Order of the Family Court and who knows or has reason to know, that the Order has been issued from purchasing, owning, possessing, or controlling a deadly weapon or ammunition for a firearm in this State. This Act also prohibits the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant, active indictment or information related to a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from purchasing a firearm’. Administration.
…sets forth 8 factors a court must consider in determining a proposed relocation of a child for a period of 60 days or more in litigation involving custody or visitation. These factors include: (1) the nature, quality, extent, and duration of the child’s relationship with the individual proposing to relocate and with the non-relocating individuals, siblings and other significant persons in the child’s life; (2) the age, developmental stage, needs of the child, and the likely impact of the relocation on the child, taking into account any special needs of the child; (3) the feasibility of preserving the relationship between the non-relocating individual and the child; (4) the child’s preference; (5) any established patterns of the relocating individual to thwart or promote the relationship between the child and non-relocating individual; (6) whether the relocation will enhance the general quality of life of the child and relocating individual; (7) the reasons for requesting and opposing the relocation; and (8) any other factor affecting the best interests of the child.
In other words, the best interests of the child must be paramount. Judiciary.
HB 145 (Griffith) ‘will allow Delaware residents two new deductions from personal income tax. The first is a deduction from taxable income of up to $1,000 for contributions to an account in a Delaware-sponsored qualified tuition program, as that term is defined under 26 U.S.C. § 529 (a “529” College Savings Plan). The second is a deduction from taxable income of up to $5,000 for contributions to an account in a Delaware-sponsored ABLE program, as that term is defined under 26 U.S.C. § 529A (a “529A” Savings Account – a special account for meeting the needs of certain individuals with disabilities). Revenue & Finance.
Don’t forget, kids. Minimum wage. In committee. Tomorrow. Call today.