Let’s not bury the lede: After (that word again) burying and/or weakening meaningful gun control legislation for almost two years, the House will finally be SHAMED into taking action, beginning this week. We have a well-timed spate of gun violence to thank for their reversal. (Maybe if we had had a recent George Floyd incident in Delaware, the House would be shamed into actually taking action on police reform. You know, instead of forming a task force led by an ex-cop and full of cops, many appointed by Carney, which led to the inevitable result: Nothing. But I digress.)The irony, of course, being that Pistol Pete and Our PAL Val, who are more responsible for the failure of gun control legislation than anybody else, have generously designated themselves to be the prime sponsors of the two House bills. They are beyond shame. Especially coming about a week after Longhurst dissed AG Jennings because Val’s cop pals don’t like her.
Here is the proposed package:
- Banning the sale of assault weapons (HB 450)
- Limiting high-capacity magazines (SB 6)
- Raising the age from 18 to 21 to purchase most firearms (HB 451)
- Strengthening background checks by reinstituting the Firearm Transaction Approval Program (FTAP) (HB 423)
- Holding gun manufacturers and dealers liable for reckless or negligent actions that lead to gun violence (not yet introduced)
- Banning the use of devices that convert handguns into fully automatic weapons (not yet introduced)
Someone even woke up John Carney to sign off on a press release. He has, per usual, been AWOL on this issue, as he has been on so many others. I’ve decided: He’s even worse than Minner. And far less of a Democrat. Carney has two moves: If he doesn’t want to sign a bill that might reach his desk, he says he’s ‘looking forward to the debate on the floor’. Presumably b/c he can’t think for himself. His version of active leadership is to say he’s ‘looking forward to signing the bill’ should it reach his desk. That’s it.
Allow me to point out that SB 6 (above) had the legs cut out from under it in the House, largely thanks to Rep. Kim Williams crying crocodile tears about how her assault weapon would be made illegal under the bill. Suffice it to say that there had better either be a substitute bill, or the teeth will have to be added back via amendment. I’ve heard that a stronger bill will likely be considered.
Pour yourself another caffeinated beverage. We’re just getting started.
SB 6 leads off today’s Senate Agenda. I hope and expect that the weak slop that the House added will be eliminated from this bill. I also like SB 35 (Walsh), which ‘defines specific violations of wage payment and collection laws under Chapter 11 of Title 19, as wage theft and provides specific penalties for these violations, including a new a new criminal offense of wage theft, with a mechanism for the Department of Labor to refer completed investigations to the Department of Justice for prosecution’. I admit it: I’ve underrated Sen. Walsh’s contributions for awhile now. I’ve had people tell me that Walsh just wouldn’t let Speaker Pete (at the behest of ‘Chamber of Commerce’ Carney) bury the minimum wage bill, as Pete had done for about the last five years. The unholy alliance between Carney (and Markell before him) and the Kop Kabal has, if anything, been understated, even here. Just one more reason why 2022 should be the year when we depose the Kop Kabal. But, once again, I digress.
Some good bills on the House Agenda as well. HS1/HB 25 (Dorsey Walker) ‘provides for election day registration for presidential primary, primary, special, and general elections whereas currently the deadline is the fourth Saturday prior to the date of the election.’ It appears to be a ‘simple majority’ bill, so let’s see if any D’s defect. I hope not. HB 394 (Lambert) ‘provides that the Department of Correction must provide a copy of all policies relating to the accrual and forfeiture of good time to inmates, as well as a quarterly written accounting of good time credit earned and/or forfeited. The requirement that all accrued time must be forfeited upon conviction of any crime within custody, the complete forfeiture will apply only to commission of felonies.’
I’m at best ambivalent about HB 375 (Bolden), which ‘establishes the Racial Equity Consortium (“Consortium”) for the purposes of studying and making recommendations to address the disparities and inequities faced by persons of color in this State.’ Presumably b/c otherwise legislators would have no idea about the disparities and inequities faced by persons of color in this state. Form a task force, kick the can far enough down the road so that nobody looks for the can any more.
Possible big news: There will likely be a motion, presumably from Rep. Osienski, to rescind the roll call on HB 372, and to reconsider it. Which reminds me: We’ll likely see an attempt to override Carney’s brain-dead veto of HB 371 in the near future as well. Shout-out to D Party Chair Betsy Maron for calling for a veto override and for pointing out that legalization is in the Party platform.
Today’s House Committee highlights:
HB 181 (Lynn) ‘caps interest rates at 20% for short-term consumer loans of $1,000 or less that must be repaid in less than 60 days and motor vehicle title loans’. Great bill. However–it’s in the House Business Lapdog Committee, which includes among its members Reps. Bush, Bennett, and, yes, Stephanie Bolden, who has previously voted against legislation to cap usurious interest rates. She publicly stated that she voted against a bill capping those payday loans because usurious loans were the only loans her ‘people’ could get.
HB 435 (Lambert) ‘requires that all large public works construction projects, utilizing state funds, are to be governed by a Community Workforce Agreement with labor organizations engaged in the construction industry to provide structure and stability and promote efficient completion.’ Labor.
Today’s Senate Committee highlights:
Starting with a lowlight:
SB 235 (Richardson). If I told you that the bill is called the ‘Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act’, you’d have a pretty good idea what the bill is about. You’d be right. It’s not going anywhere. At least not in Delaware. And not in this committee. Legislative Oversight & Sunset.
Now that that’s out of the way…:
(1) Authorizes the bundling of unimproved or vacant real property for sale at sheriff’s sale by this State or any political subdivision when the real property is subject to a writ of venditioni exponas filed by this State or a political subdivision due to an outstanding lien or judgement. (2) Authorizes a land bank to acquire unimproved or vacant real property at sheriff’s sale by submitting a final apex bid in the amount of the outstanding liens or judgements that are of record 5 days before the date of the sheriff sale, which has the effect of ending a sheriff’s sale and selling the real property at issue to the land bank.
requires all new and renewing rental agreements for a lot in a manufactured home community to contain the following: (1) For a manufactured home community that is supplied by potable water from a private water system, a provision requiring the landlord to have the water tested and report the findings to tenants and the Department of Health and Social Services. (2) For a manufactured home community with a septic system, a provision requiring the landlord to have the system emptied, serviced, and inspected at least every 2 years and to report the findings to tenants, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the applicable county or municipal government.
Both in Housing.
Back tomorrow. Some serious bills are to be considered in committee.