It feels more than a little depressing to be living in a post-Wade world. Not even so much because of the decision, but because of the acquiescence and unwillingness/inability to fight back from the Centrist Party. Democracy is at stake, it really is. What passes for the Democratic Party is not up to defending it. It’s up to the rest of us.
But, I digress. It was a good legislative day in Dover on Tuesday. All of the key bills we discussed yesterday passed. All of them unanimously, except for HB 244 (Lynn), which had 9 Rethug mouth-breathers voting no. Because cruelty is the point. A great bill, thrilled that it passed.
I should also mention HB 324 (Bush), which creates yet another protected class for which heightened sentences could be imposed. Only Eric Morrison voted no. I believe his was the only correct vote.
The Senate has a Consent Agenda today, and perhaps some votes on nominees. Otherwise, it’s all committee meetings in both chambers today.
Happy to report that HB 371 (Osienski), which ‘removes all penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, except for those who are under 21 years of age’, cleared committee. It looks headed to passage, perhaps as early as tomorrow in the House.
Today’s House Committee highlights:
HS 1/HB 377(S. Moore) ‘requires the Department of Education to conduct an annual workforce study of early childhood professionals to support the development of a plan and implementation of a system of supports to grow and deepen the early childhood workforce.’ They’re conducting a study. Because paying early childhood professionals more would run counter to Carney’s ‘budget-smoothing’ requirements? Education.
HB 386 (Baumbach) ‘prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant declaw a cat as a condition for entering into or renewing a rental agreement’. OK, we have cats. They have claws. Declawing should not be permitted, I get that. But, if I’m a landlord, and I don’t want cats clawing up, say, the front door jamb, as our cats love to do, I can simply bar them from having cats, can’t I? I think so. Housing And Community Affairs.
Wow, not much there, I must say. (Click on that last link. That’s an order.) Hopefully, the Senate has more substance to discuss in committee:
SB 267 (Mantzavinos) ‘requires that third-party cost-sharing assistance utilized by patients is applied toward the enrollee’s health insurance deductibles and any out-of-pocket limits. Additionally, the bill defines what constitutes a “cost-sharing requirement” as well as how to calculate the assistance when applying to patient’s deductibles and out-of-pocket limits. This bill applies to both carriers and pharmacy benefits managers with an effective date of January 1, 2024.’ My Wife The Pharmacist says this is a good bill. Banking, Business & Insurance.
…establishes new formulas that a community owner is allowed use to increase rent in a manufactured home community. The requirements under this Act will be in effect for 5 years, during which time the current requirements for rent increases in manufactured home communities will be suspended. Under current law, rent increases in manufactured home communities have frequently been the subject of arbitration hearings and lengthy court cases. This Act seeks to dramatically reduce or eliminate these disputes by providing a choice of 3 methods that a community owner can use to establish the amount of a rent increase.
This bill has created quite a bit of controversy among manufactured housing residents and their advocates. While I don’t understand the workings of the bill, nor the controversy, I suspect that this will be a long committee hearing. Housing.
The Judiciary Committee considers the annual trove of bills from the Corporate Law section of the Delaware Bar. You know, the people who keep us ‘one step ahead of other states’ by being as business-friendly as possible. The committee will also consider the (I’m not making this up) Izzy The Cat Act, which:
…does not change the status of pets as property, but does provide new causes of action to address tortious injury to a pet. Under current law, an owner would only be permitted to recover the fair market value of a pet, regardless of the amount of veterinary bills or expenses related to care stemming from a tortious injury that is inflicted. This Act provides for damages of up to $15,000 in veterinary bills for injuries to a pet, the fair market value of a deceased pet, and up to $15,000 for emotional trauma suffered by the pet’s owner.
Would it be insensitive of me to point out that perhaps Izzy should have emulated Felix?: “Whenever he is in a fix, he reaches into his bag of tricks.”
I apologize for my incorrigibility. Just thought we could use a laugh. Anybody who would abuse a pet deserves the harshest punishment that can be meted out. I support the bill.
SB 100 (Townsend) ‘establishes a Public Education Compensation Committee for the purpose of reviewing Delaware’s educator compensation structure and its ability to compete with regional school districts, Delaware’s private business sector, and other governmental agencies and to develop recommendations to establish a new compensation structure for educators in Delaware’. While there are too many Carney Administration officials on the committee for my taste (‘Budget Smoothing’ uber alles), I’m all for anything that improves compensation and working conditions for educators. Uh, especially since my daughter is one of those Delaware educators.
I’ve said all I can say, I must say.