A productive and noteworthy session in Dover yesterday.
The House membership now officially comprises 40 with the resignation of Stell Parker Selby.
The FY 2026 Budget passed the House with only a few scattered no’s.
Some good bills passed in the House, some even garnering ‘yes’ votes from Kevin Hensley and Michael Smith, who are the two most-endangered R’s in the House. I think even Bryan Shupe cast the odd ‘yes’ vote on a couple of occasions.
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.
Notable bills passed in the Senate include HB 36 (Morrison) )all Senate Rethugs voted no); and HS 1/HB 50 (Heffernan) (all Senate Rethugs voted no b/c who needs heating assistance anyway?).
There were some real important bills on the House Agenda. HB 182 (Gorman), which ‘prohibits law-enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with federal immigration enforcement authorities to enforce immigration violations or share immigration enforcement related data’, passed with a ‘clarifying’ amendment that slightly weakens the bill. Still a great bill, though.
HB 210 (Lambert), which ‘seeks to update the fine structure for major commercial polluters. In addition, this Act increases the amount of penalty funds directed to communities near facilities with violations, passed. Yes Lumpy Carson’s literal and figurative chickenshit amendment was added to the bill. I understand, though, that there may be legislation forthcoming to address that.
There are some real good, albeit previously discussed, House bills on today’s Senate Agenda. The only two Senate bills on the Agenda are both good ones. SS1/SB 130 (Paradee) ‘prohibits retail stores and wholesalers from selling, distributing, or offering for sale in this State expanded polystyrene foam food service packaging products, most expanded polystyrene foam coolers, and expanded polystyrene foam loose fill packaging, such as packing peanuts.’ SS2/SB 155 (Mantzavinos) ‘adds some significant improvements to the operation of the Nursing Home Residents Quality Assurance Commission, most importantly, strengthening protections for residents.
Today’s House Agenda features, oh, here’s the response to removal of the chickenshit provision in HB 210. Also, while Stephanie Bolden buries legislation providing for special election primaries, she’s got yet another stoopid and restrictive elections bill to be considered in its stead. HB 206:
…is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that requires a person holding elected office to resign from office before being eligible as a candidate for a different elected office. Elected office includes the office of the Governor, the Lieutenant-Governor, the General Assembly, and any other state, county, or municipal position that is selected by voters in an election in this State.
Hmmm, let’s see…so, under this bill, Councilperson Shane Darby would have to resign from Wilmington City Council to challenge Nnamdi were this already law. Hypothetically, NCC Councilman Kevin Caneco would have to resign from Council to challenge Nicole Poore. This bill sucks. I don’t care that it’s only the ‘first’ leg of a constitutional amendment. In fact, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Bolden a City Councilperson when she ran for the House? She would now slam the door behind her. This should be consigned to an early legislative grave.
Both the House and the Senate have committee meetings scheduled for today. Most, but not all, of the bills in Senate committees are House bills. Most, but not all, of the bills in House committees are Senate bills. No, Stephanie Bolden has not scheduled a committee meeting to consider HB 183 (Gorman). She is the most anti-democratic of Democratic legislators.