Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Big day in the Senate.  ‘Permit To Purchase’ is first on the Agenda.  It will pass.  Whether we have the marathon debate, or whether the opponents hold their, pardon the expression, fire, for the House, remains to be seen.  I’ve heard the debate so many times that I likely won’t watch.  As always, the part of the Second Amendment that reads ‘A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State…’ will not be cited by the absolutists.  It’s as if the Founding Fathers just tossed that phrase into the text.  Which they didn’t.  Although, the Second Amendment is arguably one of the worst sentences ever written:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Clear as mud.  Intentionally.  Here’s today’s Senate Agenda.

While there’s little of interest to me on the House Agenda, there’s a very important bill being considered in committee today.  HB 99 (Heffernan):

…follows the issuance of Delaware’s Climate Action Plan in 2021, and establishes a statutory target of greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the medium and long term to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the State. The Act establishes a process of regular updates to the Climate Action Plan to serve as the framework to achieve the targeted emissions reductions and develop resilience strategies for the State, creates Climate Change Officers in certain Key Cabinet-Level Departments who will assist DNREC in the ongoing implementation of the Climate Action Plan, requires State agencies to consider climate change in decision-making, rulemaking, and procurement, and requires an Implementation Report every 2 years on the progress of the State towards meeting the statutory targets.

21 D Reps, no R’s, have signed on as sponsors.  The D reps who haven’t signed on?:  Bolden, Matthews, Osienski, Carson, and Bush.  You might want to let them know that you know.

Now let’s talk about Deb Heffernan.  It has been well-documented that she helped bury some good environmental bills from consideration last session.  However, since facing a bruising primary against Becca Cotto, Rep. Heffernan has resurfaced as a strong ally to the environmental cause.  I’m really glad that she is taking a key leadership role here.  This is a rare case where a contested primary has enabled the incumbent to release herself from the shackles of her most dubious campaign financiers.  I thank her for taking on this legislation and for pushing for its passage. If you support this bill, you might want to sign up to testify.  You may do so as follows:

The public may provide public comment for this meeting by attending in-person, or by dialing (1-866-578-1005) and providing the password (RESOURCES) when prompted by the operator.

Written comments are strongly encouraged for all persons who wish to provide public comment during a House Committee meeting. All written comments should be submitted to HouseCommitteeComment@delaware.gov. Public comments will be accepted in advance of a committee meeting and by close of business the day after the meeting has adjourned. All public comments are considered part of the official committee record.

There’s one other bill of note in House committee today–HB 133(Dorsey Walker).  (BTW, word on the street is that Rep. Dorsey Walker will again run for Lt. Governor….hmmm, maybe it’s time for a catch-all Delaware Political Weekly.)  But, I digress.  Here’s an excerpt from the bill synopsis:

First responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians, and public safety telecommunicators, are crucial to ensuring public safety and health. First responders are at elevated risk for suicide because of the environments in which they work, their culture, and stress, both occupational and personal..

This bill makes clear that suicide is a death in the line of duty for Delaware’s first responders, police officers, firefighters, correctional officers and probation officers, and the National Guard.

Good.  However, where are teachers, social workers, and other government employees in high-stress situations?  I think they, at the least, should be included in the bill.

Before I go, I want to alert you to a very bad bill that has already passed the House and will be considered in Senate committee tomorrow.  John Carney reportedly is pushing very hard for this, as he (of course) sees this as part of his legacy.  I’m talking HB 104 (Bush).  Yep, it’s a bill that developers, labor unions and the Chamber(s) want in order to expedite projects by shielding them from existing requirements.  The synopsis:

The state’s pre-application process for land use process, known as PLUS, was created 20 years ago and has served to increase coordination among state and local agencies. In doing so, it has fulfilled its intent of providing predictability and consistency for the development community, especially in the area of major projects. Given that success, this bill assists in expediting the process for economic development projects in the State of Delaware with some exemptions from the PLUS process. A project located in Investment Level 1 or 2 under the Strategies for State Policies and Spending that is consistent with local zoning and any local comprehensive plan that will create full-time jobs is exempt from the pre-application process unless required by the local government or requested by the applicant.

Bills like this invariably enable rampant development to the detriment of people living where the development takes place.  It’ll be considered in the Senate Housing & Land Use Committee tomorrow.

Looks like an interesting week…