General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., January 29, 2025

THE BIG STORY:  End-Of-Life Options Bill Gets Its First Hearing Today.  Should’ve been law already, but Delaware’s Worst Governor Ever couldn’t get past his own blinkered Catholicism.  Didn’t try.  Rep. Morrison has taken the baton from Paul Baumbach.  HB 140 will be considered in today’s House & Human Development Committee meeting.  10 of the 16 committee members are Democrats (as it should be), and I see no way the bill doesn’t get out of committee.  (BTW, anybody know whether committee member Kevin Hensley is driving himself to Dover?  Which reminds me, drunk drivers have forfeited the moral high ground when it comes to ‘sanctity of life’.)

The two notable bills that were considered by the General Assembly both passed unanimously.  The ‘Mini-Bond Bill’ in the Senate, and the bill giving the Auditor subpoena power in the House.  Pretty sure they’ll each be worked in the other chamber before Thursday’s adjournment.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.  If you scroll down to the bottom of the report, you will see that the Senate approved six of Gov. Meyer’s cabinet nominations. All votes were unanimous. We’ll almost certainly see about the same number of nominees being considered today.

Here is today’s Senate Committee schedule.  Of interest to me:

More nominations will be considered by the Senate Executive Committee.

SB 41 (Buckson) ‘bans the manufacture, sale, delivery, distribution, holding with the intent to sell, and offering for sale in Delaware of food that contains Red dye 3 (CAS no. 16423-68-0). For purposes of this chapter and section, food includes drink, ice, confectionary, and condiments. Red dye 3 is a color additive made from petroleum that gives foods a bright cherry-red color.’  Perhaps the only bill this session where the Rethugs turn their backs on Big Oil.  (Health & Social Services.) Look for lots of senators to join this bill as co-sponsors.

Uh, that’s it.  Unless a bill is being pushed through both houses before JFC recess, there’s no urgency in when they get considered in committee.

Today’s House Committee schedule.  Items of interest:

HB 23 (K. Williams) ‘adds “patronizing a victim of sexual servitude” and “ trafficking of persons for use of body parts” to the offenses that may serve as a predicate for forfeiture of property under the (human) trafficking statute’. Perhaps that’s one way to get rid of the predominantly Asian ‘spas’ that appear and disappear throughout Delaware.  Hope so (Judiciary).

HB 12 (K. Williams) ‘creates a scholarship for students who have completed a Delaware Teacher Academy and are enrolled in a Delaware Educator Preparation Program. This scholarship supplements the Educator Support Scholarship and is intended to fill a $2500 funding gap…’ (Education).

OK, the House Rules Committee has the same membership as the House Administration Committee, aka House Leadership.  Rep. Sean Lynn has introduced three proposed changes to the House Rules.  You can check ’em out here. Don’t think I can recall a situation where HR 6 could have made a difference.  But, if it did, it was certainly during the reigns of Schwartzkopf/Longhurst.  Does anybody who has worked down there know if/when this scenario has played out?  I mean, the Chief Clerk isn’t gonna unilaterally do this on their own.  I like HR 7 in that it enables those who may wish to participate in, and/or just watch a debate on a bill they have an interest in, to attend on the day when the bill will be considered.  The Senate already does this.

I think that HR 8 may have to be redrafted as an HCR since it references procedures that must take place in the Senate.  I hope to listen to the discussion on this, though, as I’m not sure who would be covered under it.

The House has no Agenda today as Wednesdays are virtually always reserved for Committee meetings.

While there is no Senate Agenda posted, the Senate will almost certainly consider nominations when it reconvenes this afternoon.

Just a note: The shit that Trump is pulling at the Federal level has likely created a lot of uncertainty when it comes to putting together a budget.  We’ll see if/how that impacts Joint Finance Committee hearings beginning next week.