General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 19, 2026

Most of our coverage of SB 1 is over in the Open Thread.  However, there’s one slight correction to Nick Stonesifer’s story here.  The bill has not yet been sent to the floor. It has rather been reassigned to the Senate Finance Committee, which is comprised of the Senate members of the Joint Finance Committee.  Not really sure if the reassignment is necessary.  Yes, there’s a Fiscal Note, but, as you can see, there would be no projected fiscal impact until FY 2029, something that the current JFC can’t consider.  However, this is not an attempt to waylay the bill, so I’d imagine that SB 1 will clear committee perhaps as early as next week.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.   Of note, Rep. Hensley’s horrible bill touting the ‘clean energy’ of gas turbines designed to provide energy to data centers did not clear committee.  Should the Democratic candidates seeking Hensley’s seat not make this a campaign issue, they will be guilty of political malpractice.

I also note that one, and only one, Senator voted against SS1/SB 116(Lockman), which ‘allows tenants who are being evicted for failure to pay rent to remain in their homes if they pay all amounts owed prior to being evicted’.  The one Senator?: Self-avowed Christian Bryant Richardson.  Y’see, he’s a Christian, just not a Christian Christian.

Not much on today’s Senate Agenda.  We have a bill eliminating ‘antiquated’ sections of Delaware’s alcoholic beverages code.  That’s about it.

Thankfully, we have a much meatier House Agenda today.  Highlights:

HS1/HB 84 (Morrison) ‘prohibits employers from requiring meetings or communications the purpose of which is to convey the employer’s political or religious views, including views regarding unionization.’  Pretty sure you can look for a straight party line vote on this.

HB 258 (Bolden) ‘allows any municipality with a population of 50,000 or more to establish by ordinance rules for the location of liquor stores that are more restrictive than state law’.

HB 265 (Ross Levin) ‘provides limited immunity from prosecution for persons who seek to report a sexual offense. Under this Act a person who is a victim or witness or otherwise seeks law enforcement assistance in relation to a sexual offense may not be charged, arrested, or prosecuted, or issued a civil citation for low-level crimes relating to drug or alcohol use or possession’.

That’s what interests me.  But it’s Thursday and perhaps my interest level has waned…