General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., April 4, 2012

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So much for that 2-week meme about the R’s taking over the Delaware State Senate. Admittedly aided and abetted by moi. Just as Sen. Margaret Rose Henry’s switch from R to D swiftly ended then-Sen. Myrna Bair’s publicly-proclaimed dream of becoming Delaware’s first female President Pro-Tem, Sen. Liane Sorenson’s announcement that she would not seek reelection did the same to Sen. Gary Simpson’s. Even if Rep. Mike Ramone jumps into the race, Dave Sokola will almost certainly win, and Ramone’s House seat will flip to the D’s. If Ramone values his legislative pension, he will likely stay right where he is. Sorenson has been described as a moderate, and she certainly is in the mode of a Rockefeller Republican. However, I think she’s more of a progressive than a moderate, and she hasn’t hesitated to support causes that may not be popular with Republican constituencies. The fact that two of Delaware’s very best were tonymandered together is a significant loss to the legislature and the citizens of this state. The state is far better off b/c Liane Sorenson chose to dedicate herself to public service. Jack Markell would do well to ensure that Liane’s public service career continues. We cannot afford to lose people like her. Biff Lee, eh, not so much. But he too announced his retirement yesterday. He used to be a state cop. He used to be in leadership, and now he’s a back-bencher. And he put in 22 years. That’s about it.

Big Breaking News: Liane Sorenson Not Running!!

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Sen. Liane Sorenson (R-Hockessin) has just announced in Dover that she will not run for reelection to the Delaware State Senate, according to reliable sources. Sorenson and Dave Sokola had been placed in the same district by Tony DeLuca after both Sorenson and Sokola opposed DeLuca for President Pro Tempore of the Delaware State Senate. Sorenson's retirement is a real loss for progressives, as she has had one of the most estimable voting and sponsorship records in Dover. It is also, however, a likely death knell for any hopes that R's had of taking over the Senate chamber.

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: April 3, 2012

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The most notable bill passed in the Senate was SB 174(Bushweller), which is designed to help first responders seek and receive critical counseling to deal with the stress they encounter. It’s a well-intended and even essential bill–as long as it doesn’t create a priest confessional type of situation. The House passed HB 202, which ‘makes it an offense to use a handicapped plate or placard issued to another person, unless that person is also in the vehicle’. The idea being, of course, to stop the use of handicapped parking spaces by those who don’t need them. I strongly support a newly-introduced piece of legislation. HB 287(Lavelle) places the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility under the requirements of state procurement laws. About damned time, as this Harris McDowell-driven vehicle has had more than its share of controversy. The bill has bipartisan support, including many of the more reform-minded legislators, and will likely pass the House. Uh, which raises the question of what Tony DeLuca, who counts McDowell as among his supporters, will do once HB 287 reaches the Senate. The bill is in the House Energy Committee, and John Kowalko, who is a co-sponsor, is the committee chair.

Delaware Political Weekly: March 24-30, 2012

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The scuttlebutt in Dover is that Judy Travis, who ran against Rep. Bryon Short in the 7th Rep District in 2010, is planning to primary Cathy Cloutier for the 5th Senatorial District seat. Chris Counihan has already filed for the D's, and is a strong candidate, having garnered 45% against Cloutier in a previous run. Travis has had her eye on elective office at least since she was passed over to run for Wayne Smith's vacated rep seat back in 2007. You remember. The newly reelected Smith left office to become the President and lobbyist for the Delaware Healthcare Association. Smith handpicked his next-door-neighbor over Travis to run for the seat. His neighbor lost to Bryon Short. Twice. But, I digress. For those who think that Cloutier would be a shoo-in in a primary, just remember that Cloutier also ran on the Working Families Party line in 2010. That's the line offered by Brian McGlinchey and other labor guys. Don't think that would endear her to Rethug primary voters, and I wouldn't be totally shocked to see Charles 'Bouvier de Flandres' Copeland do to Cathy what he's doing to Priscilla Rakestraw. Continue to banish moderates from the Party. Needless to say, were this scenario to occur, the R calculus for taking over the Senate would have to be, um, recalculated.

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 29, 2012

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Speaker Gilligan said that lobbying reform legislation will pass this session, and I'm sure he's right. After all, yesterday's announcement of lobbyist reform was so important that Governor Markell's own Brian Selander was rolled out to tout this press release:
Dover, DE – A bill that would dramatically expand disclosure requirements for lobbyists was introduced today with broad bipartisan support. Governor Jack Markell joined Senate President Pro Tempore Tony DeLuca, House Speaker Bob Gilligan and legislators to introduce Senate Bill 185. (Bill hasn't officially been introduced, will probably be introduced today.) “How can you tell who’s working to influence the bills that could become the laws that will affect your life? The problem is, in many cases right now, you can’t, because state disclosure laws simply haven’t kept up. This proposal helps solve that problem, bringing needed light to the process,” Markell said. “As a Delawarean, you shouldn’t have to be in the lobby of Legislative Hall or in the offices of a state agency to know who’s trying to shape a law that matters to you. This bill would make that information more available.”

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., March 28, 2012

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In dramatic fashion, the House passed the first leg of a constitutional amendment which eliminates the five-year waiting period for voting privileges for eligible felons who have completed their sentences. The bill first fell one vote shy of passage (28 votes needed as it requires a 2/3 majority). However, the roll call was rescinded, and Rep. Debbie Hudson switched her vote from 'no' to 'yes', giving the bill the 28th and deciding vote. Democrats voting No: The 'Law-Abiding' John Atkins and 'Lumpy' Carson. R's voting Yes: Don Blakey, Debbie Hudson, Greg Lavelle, and Mike Ramone. A tip of my sombrero to them. And to sponsor Helene Keeley. It's on to the Senate, where I think it has an excellent chance to pass.

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 27, 2012

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The big news broke after the General Assembly adjourned. John Atkins 'voluntarily' stepped down as a member and the Vice-Chair of the House Public Safety/Homeland Security Committee. Anyone who read his 'statement' and who has also read anything else Atkins has written, knows that Atkins did not write that statement. No matter. He has been sanctioned in a manner that fit his offense, and we still have Atkins around to provide us with fun-filled entertainment.

Delaware Political Weekly: March 17-23, 2012

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I like this, I like this a lot. Ray Adkins (no, not Atkins, be still, your beating heart) of Seaford has filed for the 40th RD seat. The district is currently represented by Rep. Clifford G. 'Biff' Lee (R-Laurel), a, wait for it, retired state trooper who inherited the legislative seat from his father upon his death. The district has a nominal D registration edge, so it's not impossible that the right kind of Democrat, as defined by Sussex County voters, could win the seat. Adkins is a real estate agent, and it appears that portions of Seaford are new to the district, so this could be a sleeper race. What do our Sussex County spies think? Regardless, this is why candidate recruitment is so important, and also shows that Pete Schwartzkopf is damned good at it. I mean, does even Sussex County want to be represented by someone whose preferred name comes from a spelled-out Batman sound effect?

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap=Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., March 22, 2012

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As predicted by Yours Truly, legislation adding public employees to the State Employee Benefit Committee has been assigned to buried in the House Administration Committee, where Pete Schwartzkopf will help Jack Markell kill the bill, just like Pete Schwartzkopf is helping Jack Markell to kill HB 126. While the House Administration Committee has generally been seen as the counterpart of the Senate Executive Committee, the leadership of the committee has rarely exercised the same kind of heavy-handed tactics employed by Thurman Adams and Tony DeLuca on the Senate side. That is, however, what they are doing with these two bills.