General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thursday, March 9, 2023

“This amendment makes technical corrections and clarifications requested by the Office of the Governor.”

Yeah (you’re asking)?  So what?

The ‘so what’ is that this is HA2/HB 2. HB 2 ‘regulates and taxes marijuana for recreational use in much the same manner as alcohol. It creates a framework for production, manufacture, and sale in a legal recreational marijuana industry.’  It’s first on today’s House Agenda.  I guess it’s nice that Rep. Osienski is sponsoring an amendment requested by the Governor to a bill the Governor has pledged to veto.  But it’s not gonna change this mule’s mind.  This is a 3/5ths bill, meaning it needs 25 yes votes.  It’s doable, if Ramone and M. Smith vote yes, and no D other than Speaker Pete, votes no.  I’ll be watching the House vote on this one.

I also like HS1/HB33 (K. Williams), which ‘increases funding for preschool children with disabilities who are not counted in either “intensive” or “complex” special education units by revising the current ratio of 12.8 students per unit to 8.4 students per unit for preschool children included in the basic unit count.’  It will cost about $1.5 mill annually once fully implemented.  JFC must have approved the funding, which paves the way for its passage today.

Only a couple of bills dealing with the Public Service Commission on today’s Senate Agenda.  While they seem innocuous, just bear in mind that utility legislation is about as inscrutable as insurance legislation, though nowhere near as inscrutable as the annual corporate law package.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.  I listened to both the Senate Health & Social Services Committee hearing and the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. I was pleased that SB 58 (S. McBride), SB 59 (Gay). and SB 33 (Gay) were all released from their respective committees.

Wow.  Two posts completed before 9:30 am.  Hope that’s not merely a triumph of quantity over quality. But it could be…