General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Awake yet?
We’re not talking Countdown To Ecstasy. We’re talking Countdown To Inevitability. A relatively drama-free June 30.
We don’t yet know whether the Senate will take up the magazine ban bill that the House weakened. We don’t yet know whether the manufactured homeowners will prevail over the residents (two bills were laid on the table during debate in the Senate yesterday). But the path to an early conclusion is in sight. All the money bills will be worked. The Senate will buzz through a bunch of House bills, the House will buzz through a bunch of Senate bills. And call it a night.
Truth be told, it is not, of course, the Final Countdown. That will likely take place in September, when redistricting comes up for a vote. I don’t believe in unilateral surrender. I believe the D’s in both chambers should do everything they can to lock in their strong majorities. Or even add to it. Plenty of time to talk about that, though.
Yesterday was simply a great legislative day. Pore through the Session Activity Report, and you’ll see lots of great bills on their way to the Governor.
The House pretty much has everything wrapped up. Quite the concise Agenda today. Plenty of time to work through any additional House bills that come back from the Senate with amendments on them.
Personal to Stephanie Bolden: We know what you did on SS1/SB 101. It’s unforgivable. Hundreds of renters in your very own district will not be afforded legal assistance thanks to you, and only you. Retire. Or be retired. Because everybody in your district (if you still have a district) will be made aware of this before you face the voters, if you have the chutzpah to face the voters. That’s a promise. Is that City Council receptionist job still open?
The Senate Agenda, while longer, looks relatively uncontroversial. The Grants-In-Aid Bill, aka the Incumbency Reelection Act, will pass unanimously. Legislators will fan out to fire companies, senior centers, community centers, veterans organizations, and the like, to bask in the glow of their largesse. Hmmm, let’s see how two agencies helmed by ethically-bankrupt legislators made out…:
Jobs For Delaware Graduates: $1,395,197. That’s fucking obscene. Congra(f)ts to Nicole Poore for pumping all these state funds into your worthless organization.
Police Athletic League Of Delaware: $187,272. Should be enough to keep Our Pal Val in drinking money at Crabby Dick’s for another year. Failing that, Nicole can certainly pick up the tab.
I will continue to worry about this one item until the gavel comes down: HB 30, yet another Incumbency Reelection Act as it changes Delaware’s primary date to April, is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Elections Committee today. While it’s not on the Agenda, and while Sen. Sokola has usually placed bills on the Agenda pending committee release, I fear that this could be worked under Rules Suspension and become law before the public knows it’s been hoodwinked. It is no surprise that the prime sponsor, the aforementioned Stephanie Bolden, needs incumbency protection. The only unabashed progressive on the bill is Sen. McBride. You’ll have to ask her why she’s signed onto this. Personal to Sen. Sokola: Don’t place this bill on a Midnight Run to passage. It is anti-democratic. In fact, I daresay that, had this bill been in effect in 2020, you would not be the President Pro-Tem now. The leadership would still be Dave McBride and Nicole Poore.
Wow, under 600 words. I’ve got nothing more to say.
Until tomorrow.
What did Stephanie Bolden do to the renters bill?
6 D’s and 4 R’s on the Housing Committee, which she chairs. Voted with the R’s, thus burying the bill.
That’s terrible and totally unjustified.
This makes no sense. With rising homelessness and the complicated laws surrounding renters and COVID this bill was needed more than ever. You’d expect this from Rs, but the fact that Ds didn’t support it is appalling. Even the right wing USSC was smart enough to give landlords the finger when it came to evictions. Now watch every one of these committee members get maxed out by the landlord association, the manufactured housing association and the realtor association. I hope those $600 checks help the committee members sleep at night.
Every D supported it in the Senate except–Spiros Mantzavinos.
Every D on the Housing Committee supported this bill–except for Stephanie Bolden. Was it Buccini/Pollin $$’s? Was it jealousy b/c another more accomplished Black legislator was the prime House sponsor?
In the end, it doesn’t matter. But she must be excised from the House. And, maybe Speaker Pete should move this bill to a more accommodating committee. He’s not to blame here. He had no idea that Bolden would deep-six the bill.
Both the House and Senate Agendas have been completed. No surprises.
Looks like they just might go in at midnight for a pro forma session before adjourning.
Oh, no, I don’t like the sound of this. From Matt Bittle:
“This is a somewhat memorable article for me to write for some personal reasons.”
That sounds like a valedictory to me. I hope he’s not moving on. But, if he is, he’s certainly earned it. Best day-to-day legislative reporter I can remember.