Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
A couple of notable leftovers from last Thursday’s session:
HS 2/HB 13(Phillips), which ‘requires the Director of the Sustainable Energy Utility to administer a program to provide financial assistance to Delaware residents for the cost of purchase and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment’, passed the House with the bare majority of 21 votes. Seven reps were absent, at least four of whom decided they didn’t want to wait until the end of the session. Is doing your job really that much of a hardship?
I’m calling on all of you to try to explain the no votes on this bill: HS1/HB 270 (K. Williams) ‘creates a civil penalty for any sale or display of ammunition that allows the ammunition to be accessible to a purchaser or transferee without the assistance of the vendor or an employee of the vendor. Ammunition in an enclosed display case, behind a counter or other customer access preventing device is not considered accessible for purposes of this section.’ Did I miss something? Didn’t a shitload of ammo walk out of a Delaware Cebela’s? Then why the bleep would nine, count ’em, nine reps vote against this? The nine who want ammo to be readily accessible for theft are: Collins, Gray, Hilovsky, Jones Giltner, Morris, Postles, Shupe, Vanderwende, and Yearick. They are not serious people.
Personal to a Certain Someone: Yes, I’m the guy who writes ‘nice’ (meaning critical) things about you on the blog. I will continue to do so unless or until you stop being the Worst Delaware Governor In Recent History. (Oops, I think I gave it away…) You’re first-class all the way.
But, I digress.
Let’s start with a substantive Senate Agenda. Remember what I wrote last week about how the Worst Delaware Governor In Recent History has failed to demonstrate even a scintilla of interest in improving the performance of Delaware students? Remember how I wrote that this has emboldened/forced legislators to try to fill in as much of the gap as possible? An example is SS1/SB 252 (Sturgeon), which:
…requires that the Department of Education (Department) perform audits of educator preparation programs (program) to assess compliance with the evidence-based reading instruction requirements, known as the “science of reading”, that were enacted on June 30, 2021, by Senate Bill No. 133 (151st). If a program is not compliant with these requirements, the audit findings must specifically identify each area in which the program is not compliant, and the Department must require that the program take corrective action for each non-compliant area. If a program is compliant with all of the science of reading requirements, the Department shall award the program a specific distinction. This Act also requires that the Department use these audits to identify how teacher preparation in reading instruction can be improved and that the audit findings be included in the reports the Department already publishes about educator preparation programs.
Allow me to translate. The Department of Education hasn’t been doing what the General Assembly has mandated them to do. So, the General Assembly is requiring them to do their job. Again.
…creates the Delaware Wrongful Conviction Compensation and Service Act. The Act provides compensation and reintegration services to individuals who have served sentences of incarceration, parole, probation, and sex offender registration in the State for crimes that they did not commit. An individual claiming wrongful conviction or, if deceased, that individual’s heirs, may bring a petition for compensation in Delaware Superior Court. A petitioner who makes the required showing is entitled to damages based on the type and period of wrongful incarceration, probation, parole, or registration, and other amounts, such as reasonable attorney fees in obtaining relief, subject to requirements of proof.
SB 237 (Hansen) ‘amends the provisions in Title 9 of the Delaware Code relating to the county comprehensive plans for Sussex, Kent, and New Castle Counties, and Title 22 of the Delaware Code relating to municipal comprehensive plans for municipalities with populations greater than 2,000, to require that their comprehensive plans increase community resiliency and address the impacts of climate change.’
Too bad it’s not retroactive.
There’s also a real good bill on today’s House Agenda. HB 318 (Baumbach) ‘ increases the exemption in bankruptcy and other debt proceedings for a debtor’s personal residence from $125,000 to $200,000. The exemption has been limited to $125,000 since 2012 while home prices have increased dramatically in the intervening years. It also increases the exemption for tools of the trade and for a vehicle to $25,000 from $15,000.’ I don’t know if anyone has successfully passed more progressive legislation this year than Baumbach. Hope it continues with this bill.
We also have the corporate law package which does not include prospective legislation responding to a specific Court ruling. That may, or may not, be coming in the waning days of session. You can read all about it here in the Delaware Call.
Here are today’s House committee meetings. Didn’t find anything that floated my boat. YMMV.
