Law ‘n order is back with a vengeance in Dover. And, hey, why not cede the entire agenda to ex-cop Steve Smyk?

Two of his crappy bills passed the Senate yesterday and head to Jellyfish John for his signature. This one and this one.  Hey, let’s drop a pile of charges on a bunch of prisoners. That’ll set ’em straight. Also easier than tackling the total mess that is Delaware’s corrections system.   BTW, can one of our lawyer lurkers explain to me what legally defines an assault ‘committed with a reckless state of mind’ and how it differs from a plain ol’ assault?

The General Assembly has given in to its worst demagogic tendencies.  It hasn’t been this bad since the so-called War on Drugs, which was how Senators Tom Sharp and Jim Vaughn, Rep. Wayne Smith and then-AG Jane Brady colluded to throw as many black people in jail as possible.  The overrreaching that the Honorables are doing now will have to be pulled back at a later date, just as the worst excesses of the War on Drugs are still being rolled back in Dover.  History repeating itself.

What’s up with Dave McBride? Guy’s the Senate President Pro-Tem.  He was also the only D to vote no on SB 68 (Ennis).  All the R’s went not voting, no, or were absent.  All the D’s voted yes, except McBride.  Without commenting on the merits of the bill, I can only say that it’s pretty unusual for a situation like this to occur.  As the leader of the D’s in the Senate, the Pro-Tem is the last person you would expect to put the kibosh on a D bill like this when every other D voted yes . (Correction: Please see below.)  Strange.  But then, Dave’s always been a pretty strange dude. If I ever wrote a book on my times in Dover, I’d devote at least an entire chapter to Dave.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.

Today’s Senate Agenda.

Today’s House Agenda.

I’m all General Assemblyed out for this week.

See you Tuesday.

The death penalty is likely to be restored in Delaware unless there is an effective groundswell of opposition, something that was sorely lacking as the House considered HB 125.  For the life of me, I can’t understand why the Delaware Chapter of the ACLU chose to sit this out.  There are a lot of our readers who donate and are members of the ACLU.  They must be wondering just what their money is for if not to help organize opposition to something like the death penalty. I know I’m wondering about that.  Anyway, the vote was 24-16 to restore the death penalty.  The D’s who voted yes were Reps. Carson, Jaques, Longhurst, M. Smith, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Osienski, Paradee, Q. Johnson, and Schwartzkopf. Remember their names.

SS1/SB 5 passed the Senate despite very little action from both the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.  There are too many people just sitting back mere months after the Women’s March. Get off your asses.  You. Have. Been. Warned. A big shoutout to Cathy Cloutier, who was the only R to vote for the bill.  Her vote was decisive b/c Bob Marshall, who represents constituents who would be disproportionately impacted by a repeal of Roe v Wade, went ‘not voting’ on the bill.

Stephanie Hansen’s first bill passed the House yesterday, and goes to the Governor.  SB 41  ‘requires carriers to provide coverage for medically necessary inpatient treatment of alcohol and drug dependencies and prohibits carriers from imposing precertification, prior authorization, pre-admission screening, or referral requirements for the diagnosis and treatment, including in-patient treatment, of drug and alcohol dependencies.’  Not just a good bill, but a campaign promise kept.

HB 120 (Longhurst), which ‘requires health insurance policies to cover any medically appropriate drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of stage 4 metastatic cancer without requiring a patient to first prove that the patient failed to respond to a different drug or drugs’, also passed the House and heads to the Senate.

Here is yesterday’s entire Session Activity Report.

There is a really bad bill on today’s House Committee schedule.  If you think that Delaware is, or fast becoming, a police state, have I got a bill for you. From the same ex-cop who brought you the Extreme Crimes Prevention Act, we have HB 124 (Smyk). Nothing says ‘police state’ more than arming cops with destructive military weaponry.  Which is what this bill would facilitate:

Importers, manufacturers and dealers of “destructive weapons” are licensed and regulated under Federal law. Under existing Delaware law, importers, manufacturers and dealers of destructive weapons are not permitted to deliver them to purchasers in Delaware who are otherwise permitted to own such weapons, such as military or police forces. This Bill will permit properly licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers to possess and store destructive weapons in this State and engage in activities associated with the sale and delivery of such weapons to (or from) qualified purchasers.

What the fuck could possibly go wrong?  The Dover asylum is being run by its worst inmates.  Mostly ex-cops. In, of course, the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

Other items of interest on the House Committee docket:

*Well, we’ve gotta lead with marijuana legalization.  HB 110 (Keeley):

The Delaware Marijuana Control Act regulates and taxes marijuana in the same manner as alcohol. It allows adults over the age of 21 to legally possess and consume under 1 ounce of marijuana for personal use. It does not permit people to grow their own marijuana.

Step One is to get the bill out of committee.  Here are the members of the Revenue & Taxation Committee:

Chairman: Helene M. Keeley
Vice-Chair: Bryon H. Short
Members: Paul S. Baumbach
Andria L. Bennett
Stephanie T. Bolden
James Johnson
Quinton Johnson
Charles Potter Jr.
Sean Matthews
Michael Ramone
Ronald E. Gray
Jeff N. Spiegelman
Lyndon D. Yearick

Those members in bold lettering are on the bill as sponsors.  If your legislator is on the committee but not a sponsor, please call them and politely encourage them to support the bill.

*I like HB 141 (Lynn), which ‘authorizes the Family Court to interview a child outside the presence of the parties for the purpose of obtaining the child’s testimony and ascertaining the truth of a matter asserted by a party to a Protection from Abuse proceeding.’ Judiciary Committee.

*Beer gardens are fast becoming a ‘thing’ in Delaware, particularly in Wilmington. HB 158 (Keeley) ‘creates a new type of liquor license for beer gardens. Beer gardens are outdoor venues that operate at least 5 months, of each year and are independent of any other licensed establishment.’ The legislation limits the number of beer gardens and provides for a $2000 biennial licensing fee. Business Lapdog Committee.

*Real good elections bill from Rep. Bentz.  HB 90 (finally!) creates in-person early voting in Delaware.  Specifically, ‘registered voters will be allowed to vote in-person for at least 10 days prior to an election, up to and including the Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to the election at locations determined by the Commissioner’. House Administration Committee.

Highlights from the Senate Committee meeting schedule are as follows:

*Here’s a bill which deserves the support of every progressive.   SB 65 (McDowell)  makes it unprofessional conduct or a ground for discipline for individuals granted a certificate to practice medicine or  nursing or mental health professionals to engage in conversion therapy with a child or to refer a child to a practitioner in another jurisdiction to receive conversion therapy.  Health, Children and Social Services Committee.

*Nominees before the Executive Committee include that of Mike Hare, political ally of Mike Purzycki and Buccini-Pollin mover and shaker, to the Del-Tech Board of Trustees. Somehow, it makes sense.

*HB 99 (K. Williams) requires that ‘a resident 65 years of age or older claiming a tax credit against school taxes must be a resident of the state for at least 10 years before qualifying for such credit. The current requirement is only for 3-year residency’.  Bill passed the House with only 2 no votes. Education Committee.

While the House doesn’t run an Agenda on Wednesdays, today’s Senate Agenda features two more terrible bills from ex-cop Steve Smyk.  HB 122 and HB 123, to be exact. Both easily passed the House, and both will easily pass the Senate.  No way Jellyfish John won’t sign them. Demagoguery at its finest.

And so it goes. Civil liberties circling the drain in Delaware.  One bad bill after another.  Insufficient action from its citizens and their advocates.

Tuesday’s Tale of Two Bills: Bringing back the death penalty in the House, and codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade in the Senate.

The Extreme Crimes Prevention Act will, of course, prevent no such thing.  But it’s a great opportunity to satisfy the bloodlust of both legislators and Angry White Men as well.  Oh, and cops. Especially the cops.  Raise your hand if you don’t think that proponents will invoke the name of Stephen Ballard during the debate.  If you raised your hand, you would be incorrect.  Corporal Ballard would not be alive today if this law was in place, but demagogues use raw emotion and intimidation to overcome logic.  Which, in part, is why this bill will likely pass the House.  We should be taking names.  Oh, and it’s time to call Jellyfish John’s office to get him to take a stand against this.

SS1 to SB 5 (Townsend) will essentially codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into Delaware law. Should the Supreme Court strike down Roe v. Wade, each state would make its own laws. SS1/SB 5 ‘makes Delaware’s laws on abortion consistent with the scope of the right protected by the United States Constitution and the practice in Delaware for the past 43 years’.  In other words, Delaware’s statute is currently unconstitutional and unenforceable (and is not being enforced) b/c Roe v Wade is the law of the land.  Should Roe v Wade be overturned, then the current statute would be the law of the State.  Which is why this is a VERY important bill. And I don’t think it’s a slam dunk.  Senate sponsors are Townsend, Henry, Bushweller, Cloutier, Hansen, McDowell,  Poore, Sokola, and Walsh.  Meaning, if your senator is not on the list, call them today!  Especially if they are among the following who might be receptive to such calls: Senators Marshall, Lopez,  Delcollo (it’s a solid D district, after all), McBride,  Ennis and Simpson. And, yes, even Greg Lavelle. Especially Greg Lavelle.  His district has a lot of pro-choice R’s, and the wrong vote here will almost inevitably redound to his disadvantage in 2018.  Call him on it by calling him.

One additional bill of interest on today’s House Agenda is HB 120 (Longhurst), which ‘requires health insurance policies to cover any medically appropriate drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of stage 4 metastatic cancer without requiring a patient to first prove that the patient failed to respond to a different drug or drugs.’  The bill is based on a similar Georgia law ‘that was inspired by President Jimmy Carter’s recent battle with cancer’.  Bipartisan sponsorship, bill will fly through.

Today’s Senate Agenda also features the Dover Mall bailout package.  5 bills, all will pass.

Here is the Session Activity Report from Thursday.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a committee preview. And, yes, marijuana legalization is on the agenda for the House Revenue and Finance Committee. Tomorrow at 3. And, yes, banning conversion therapy is on the agenda for the Senate Health, Children & Social Services Committee. Tomorrow at 2:30.

Forget about a Post-Game/Pre-Game today.

The only important story is that the Delaware House of Representatives, led by ex-cop Pete Schwartzkopf, will vote on restoring Delaware’s death penalty today.  It will almost certainly pass.

You will recall that it was Schwartzkopf who delayed a vote on death penalty repeal for months before his police pals convinced enough representatives to vote against it.

Which is why nobody should be surprised that he’s rushing through the so-called ‘Extreme Crimes Prevention Act’, aka restoration of the death penalty.  The bill in question, HB 125 (Smyk, yet another ex-cop), was passed out of committee yesterday, and is on today’s agenda.

The reason why the General Assembly has to ‘restore’ the death penalty is because the Delaware Supreme Court struck down provisions of Delaware’s death penalty statute.  The Delaware court decision came on the heels of a United States Supreme Court decision that held that provisions of Florida’s death penalty statute were unconstitutional.  Since Delaware law had the same provisions, the state court determined that Delaware’s law would meet the same fate.

HB 125 restores the death penalty while eliminating those provisions that the courts held as unconstitutional.

As long as Pete Schwartzkopf is Speaker of the House, this law and order agenda will continue to take precedence over traditional Democratic priorities.

The Senate could go either way.  The Blevins loss takes away a repeal vote, and we don’t yet know whether Sen. Walsh will follow in Sen. Peterson’s footsteps.  Sen. Ennis is a yes for restoration. Who knows? It could end up a 10-10 tie with Bethany Hall-Long casting the deciding vote.  Some leadership from Jellyfish John would be great, but here’s what Delaware’s Official Invertebrate has said so far:

In a debate during the campaign last year, Carney said he believed the court’s decision should stand and said he would “probably” veto a bill to reinstate capital punishment. He has said he would “not rule out” the death penalty in cases where a law enforcement officer is killed, but the current legislation is broader than that.

Carney has not publicly said, however, that he would veto the bill.

Leadership in inaction.

Anyway, let your legislators know that you will hold them accountable for their votes.

Just when you think that Delaware’s legislators can’t get any worse, you discover that you’re wrong.  By ‘you’, I mean ‘me’. Or is it ‘I’?

When it comes to legislators being courageous vs. fear of being demagogued, fear wins every time.  Which is why HB 122 (Smyk) unanimously, unanimously, passed the House yesterday.  Just use your critical thinking skills and parse every syllable of its synopsis:

This bill provides greater protection to correctional officers and other state employees who are assaulted in detention facilities by prohibiting assaults committed with a reckless state of mind.

Never mind that the bill won’t do what the bill says it will do.  It shows that the Honorables will do something, anything, to make it look like they’re going to crack down on reckless inmates.  In fact, it shows that nobody, including the Governor, has a clue as to how to address the disaster that is our corrections system.

In more encouraging news, the Senate unanimously passed HB 11 (Bentz), which ‘‘removes the prohibition against receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (“TANF” also referred to by the name Aid for Families with Dependent Children or “AFDC”) funds by persons convicted of a drug felony, so long as that person is otherwise eligible or TANF assistance’.

Here’s yesterday’s Session Activity Report.

Bringing back the death penalty appears to be Job One for this bloodthirsty General Assembly.  Following on the heels of the unanimous passage of a bill that any attorney worth their salt should challenge, the House is back at it today as it considers the restoration of Delaware’s death penalty.  Specifically, the House Judiciary Committee will consider HB 125 (Smyk), the, wait for it, ‘Extreme Crimes Protection Act’. Which raises the question, have the House Rethugs hired Frank Luntz to name these bills? Four D’s are on the bill: Ex-cops Ennis and Mitchell, plus Earl Jaques and Trey Paradee. Let’s check out the Judiciary Committee membership…oh, that’s just great.  Mitchell is the chair, and Paradee is a member. That is not by accident. In fact, it’s just the way that Pistol Pete Schwartzkopf planned it.  Bill’s coming to the floor, folks. You know what to do. Per usual, Jellyfish John is Absent Without Leadership.

Other House Committee ‘highlights’:

*Following on the footsteps of the Commission on Delaware Italo-American Affairs (it’s a real thing, I’m not making this up), we may now have the Delaware African and Caribbean Affairs Commission.  You can look forward to lots of these–kinda like those special license plate bills. Except with almost-forgotten hacks ‘serving on’ these commissions. (House Administration)

*The House Revenue & Finance Committee considers two tax bills–one that generates revenue and one that results in a revenue loss. HB 101 (Kowalko)  ‘increases State tax levied and imposed on both domestic and foreign limited liability companies’.  LLC’s, aka one of Delaware’s greatest scams, as in ‘You can’t sue is, we’re an LLC’.  To paraphrase Donald Trump, ‘Tax the shit out of them”.  And, of course, the Rethugs are once again pushing the repeal of the estate tax. Just because.

Senate Committee highlights:

*The Senate is wasting no time in considering SB 5 (Townsend),  which ‘modernizes Delaware’s laws on abortion to be consistent with the scope of the right protected by the United States Constitution and the practice in Delaware for the past 43 years. In doing so, this Act permits the termination of a pregnancy prior to viability, to protect the life or health of the mother, or in the event of serious fetal anomaly‘.  Which brings us to a learning opportunity.  Kids, you may be asking yourselves, ‘Why does a bill that was just introduced last week have a bill number as low as SB 5’?  Good question, wish I’d thought of it.  The answer is that legislators can request that certain bill numbers be reserved for bills that will be introduced later.  I’m pretty sure that the numbers have already been reserved for the final Budget and Bond bills. So, there’s your useless information quotient for today.  Impress and/or bore your friends.

*The Senate Executive Committee considers a couple of nominations, including that of Noel Primos to be a Superior Court judge.

Today’s Senate Agenda includes two excellent House bills designed to address troubled youth in transition to adulthood.  HB 39 and 40, both sponsored by Rep. Lynn to be specific.

That’s all I got for today, I ain’t got no more.

First, a wrap-up of last week’s highlights:

*The second leg of a constitutional amendment requiring expenditures from the Transportation Trust Fund to be limited to transportation infrastructure-related expenses passed the Senate. One Not Voting: Sen. McDowell.  Bill now goes to the House.

*Sen. McDowell introduced legislation barring the practice of ‘conversion therapy’ in Delaware.

*Here’s a bullshit bill if ever there was one. HB 151 (Hudson)  ‘revises Delaware’s hate crime statute to make law enforcement, firefighters and emergency personnel protected classes.’ Cops have it both ways. They can shoot minorities with impunity and never face prosecution under the current statute, and now, with this bill, any alleged crime visited upon these ‘protected classes’ can be considered a hate crime.  Hasn’t yet been assigned to committee. The D’s who have signed on as sponsors are: Senators Ennis, Marshall, and Walsh, and Reps. Mitchell and Melanie Smith.

*This one should garner some attention. Here is the synopsis of SB 5 (Townsend):

The United States Supreme Court’s decisions in Roe v. Wade and subsequent cases established that access to abortion is a constitutional right and that states may not prohibit abortion prior to viability. As a result of these decisions, and the exercise of prosecutorial discretion by the Attorney General, see Del. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 73-030, § III (Apr. 12, 1973), the Delaware Code’s prohibitions against abortion are unconstitutional, and thus unenforceable.This Act modernizes Delaware’s laws on abortion to be consistent with the scope of the right protected by the United States Constitution and the practice in Delaware for the past 43 years. In doing so, this Act permits the termination of a pregnancy prior to viability, to protect the life or health of the mother, or in the event of serious fetal anomaly.  Assigned to the Senate Health/Children/Social Services Committee. Two R sponsors on the bill: Sen. Cloutier and Rep. Hudson.

*The ‘Save the Dover Mall’ package of bills passed the House with nary a dissenting vote.

*HB 99 (K. Williams), which ‘require(s) that a resident 65 years of age or older claiming a tax credit against school taxes must be a resident of the state for at least 10 years before qualifying for such credit. The current requirement is only for 3-year residency, passed the House. 2 no votes: Collins and, wait for it, Rep. Hensley, who is a realtor.

*Harris McDowell and ‘Doctor’ Mark Brainard are at it again. Trying to let Del-Tech take money out of your wallet w/o any sort of referendum.  Just the say-so of Del-Tech’s Board of Trustees.  SB 50. Quite a few legislators who should know better are on the bill, including at least two former Del-Tech employees and, of course, Melanie Smith, Lonnie George’s daughter.  Might be time to light up the phones.  This is a money grab where none is justified.

Well, that took longer than I thought.

Today’s Senate Agenda features HB 11 (Bentz), which ‘removes the prohibition against receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (“TANF” also referred to by the name Aid for Families with Dependent Children or “AFDC”) funds by persons convicted of a drug felony, so long as that person is otherwise eligible or TANF assistance’.  Here’s more:

Under existing law, individuals convicted of any state or federal drug felony, including possession of marijuana (which can be a felony under federal law), are ineligible for TANF for life. Although the children of a parent convicted of a drug crime can still receive assistance, the family’s overall award is significantly reduced, and in practice this affects the well-being of families and children.

The bill passed the House with only one no vote: Sussex troglodyte Rich Collins. I suspect the Senate will pass this bill as well.

The Delaware General Assembly is always at its worst when it tries to prove just how tough the legislators are.  Case-in-point from today’s House Agenda:  HB 122 (Smyk),  which, oh, just read the synopsis:

‘provides greater protection to correctional officers and other state employees who are assaulted in detention facilities by prohibiting assaults committed with a reckless state of mind.’

To quote Dorothy Parker, “Backwards reeled the mind”.  The bill, of course, will not ‘provide greater protection’.  There won’t be one incident prevented due to a prisoner considering whether the act he is about to commit will reflect a reckless state of mind.  In fact, to the extent that this bill leads to longer sentences, it merely means that the prisoner committing the act will be in prison longer, thus giving him more opportunities to commit acts against officers. But, kids, and wait for it, it will look good on political brochures.  Which is why this joke of a bill could pass.

OK, I plan to be back tomorrow with a look at this week’s committee meetings.  Running a little behind due to our vacation in Oregon last week.  Did come home, though, with a New Favorite Band that my wife and I and my youngest daughter absolutely loved when we saw them in Portland.  Here’s hoping you will too. An anthem for our times:

Yes, he thinks he accomplished some stuff. Or at least his press secretary thought that they needed to release a list of his so-called accomplishments.

Really, they did.  Here is the result:

Governor Carney’s First 100 Days

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor Carney released the following statement on his first 100 days in office:

“During my first several months in office, I have traveled across our state, meeting with Delawareans from Claymont to Laurel, and everywhere in between. We have discussed our budget challenges, ways to create jobs and grow Delaware’s economy, improve public education, and protect our environment. We face challenges as a state, but I am more confident than ever that we will get through them together, and keep Delaware a welcoming place for everyone to live, work and raise a family. Thank you to all Delawareans who are engaging on these issues. I look forward to continuing our work together.”

Below are details on several of Governor Carney’s priorities, and ongoing initiatives, as he continues his first year in office.

Delawareans can visit de.gov/ideas to contact Governor Carney and offer their ideas for moving Delaware forward.

###

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL PLAN

Governor Carney has traveled the state, holding Budget Reset Community Conversations to discuss the state’s budget challenges alongside members of the General Assembly, and to gather ideas from members of the public. Since January, Governor Carney has held more than a dozen Conversations in restaurants, coffee shops and town hall settings, hosted by more than two dozen legislators. (More than a dozen! That’s 13 meetings and, um, 25 legislators at least. Can’t you just put in the correct fucking numbers??!!  Deep cleansing breaths…)

In March, the Governor submitted a balanced, long-term financial plan to bridge a $400 million budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2018, and put Delaware on a more sustainable path forward. The Governor’s budget relies on an equal mix of cuts and new revenue, and continues to make investments in education, healthcare and other services crucial to the welfare of Delawareans. (By ‘continues to make investments,’ he means ‘doesn’t totally destroy’.)

Executive Order #4 established the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board (G.E.A.R.) to identify opportunities for cost savings in state government, and to establish practices for continuous improvement. In conjunction with that order, the G.E.A.R. Board held their first meeting on March 24, 2017. Board members will provide their initial findings to the Director of OMB and the Secretary of Finance, who will provide initial recommendations to the Governor for further review with the JFC in preparing the 2018 budget. (Government by task force, a Delaware and a Carney staple.)

Delaware’s Triple-A credit rating was re-affirmed by Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor’s Rating Service, for the 17^th year in a row. The Triple-A rating translates to reduced interest costs for Delaware, allowing the state to fund capital projects at the lowest available interest rates.  (This had nothing to do with Carney’s 100 days.)

Some of the projects to be funded with the proceeds of Delaware’s bond sales will include a new elementary school in the Laurel School District, renovations in the Red Clay, Lake Forest, Cape Henlopen, Smyrna, Caesar Rodney and Brandywine school districts as well as public library construction and renovations at Garfield Park, Lewes, Delmar, Selbyville, Harrington and Duck Creek.

Governor Carney signed into law a critical piece of legislation, Senate Bill 13, that provides a comprehensive rewrite of Delaware’s unclaimed property laws. In an effort to align Delaware’s laws with other states, S.B. 13 retooled all aspects of unclaimed property examinations, voluntary disclosure agreements (VDAs), and compliance. (This is the legislation Delaware had to pass in light of lawsuits from numerous jurisdictions.  Bottom line: One of Delaware’s budget-balancing gimmicks is forever weakened. Would have passed regardless of who was Governor. Not a Carney initiative.)

TRANSITIONING DELAWARE’S ECONOMY On his first full day in office, Governor Carney signed Executive Order #1, creating the Economic Development Working Group to study a public-private economic development partnership that will help Delaware support innovation, entrepreneurs, and prepare Delaware’s workforce for success in the 21^st century economy. The Working Group has submitted recommendations for implementing a partnership, and Governor Carney will work with the General Assembly to explore a path forward. (Another task force. Doesn’t get any bolder than that.)

Exploring a new economic development model was an Action Plan recommendation. (Woo-hoo!)

 Earlier this month, Governor John Carney announced the creation of the Delaware Innovation Space, Inc. – a nonprofit public-private partnership established by the State of Delaware, DuPont, and the University of Delaware that will catalyze the entrepreneurial growth of new science-based businesses and ventures in Delaware. (Will Delaware pony up any $$’s for this so-called partnership?)

The Delaware Innovation Space will focus on key Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) areas that align with strengths both DuPont and UD bring to the venture. They include industrial biotechnology, renewable energy, advanced materials, chemical ingredients, nutrition and healthcare to help strengthen Delaware’s presence as a leader in those areas.

It also will provide education to entrepreneurs and startups, help accelerate the formation of new businesses, and connect Delaware’s students with the work of innovators and entrepreneurs.

STANDING UP FOR ALL DELAWAREANS

Governor Carney – in one of his first official acts in office – re-established the Family Services Cabinet Council to coordinate services for Delaware youth and families. Reestablishment of the Family Services Cabinet Council was an Action Plan recommendation.  (Isn’t this why we created the Kids’ Department in the first place? Now we’re creating another working group to do what, exactly?)

Delaware families continue to face significant challenges – including the high cost of child care; violence and poverty in their neighborhoods; the impact of caring for an aging family member; and the challenges of navigating an economy in transition. The Family Services Cabinet Council, which the Governor is chairing, is charged with coordinating public and private services that are often fragmented, and proposing changes to current programs to make the delivery of state services more effective.

Delaware’s Office of Management and Budget created a single anti-discrimination policy across state government, the result of Governor Carney signing Executive Order #6.

Adoption of the uniform policy, an Action Plan recommendation, will allow state agencies to consistently respond to reports of discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace. The policy also clearly outlines a consistent policy for state employees to report and resolve complaints of discrimination.

The Governor signed off on the state’s Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, the result of months of collaboration with educators, community members, advocates and other stakeholders across the state.  The plan articulates Delaware’s commitment to closing the achievement gap, and ensuring all students are prepared for college and/or the career of their choosing. (Signed off, but cut education funding. Governor Green-Eyeshade.)

ADDRESSING SECURITY IN DELAWARE’S PRISONS

Governor Carney has launched an Independent Review of the February 1 hostage incident at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Former U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III and retired Judge William L. Chapman, Jr. are reviewing the causes of the incident and will report back to Governor Carney by June 1 with findings and actionable recommendations to address security of the Delaware correctional facility.  (This was an issue dating back at least to Carney’s days in the Minner Administration.  His bold action? Launch an independent review.)

Governor Carney has taken important initial steps to address security risks for employees and inmates at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, and across Delaware’s correctional system, following the February 1 hostage incident. The Governor has authorized an investment of $340,800 in new security and communications equipment to help officers respond to and prevent violent incidents. In his financial plan, Governor Carney has proposed to add 50 officers at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, raise hazardous duty pay for correctional officers, and invest another $1.3 million in equipment and training.

This. Is. Pathetic.  He conducted a bleeping listening tour b/c he had no idea how to address the budget deficit. Or what he wanted to do as governor, for that matter. The press release mentions, by my count, four different working groups/task forces/and reviews as accomplishments. He has appointed several others.  He submitted a budget proposal that makes no qualitative distinctions on what should be cut and what shouldn’t be cut. Hence, he guts education spending because, well, we spend a lot of money on education.  But only cuts funding that directly impacts the classroom.  He talks of ‘shared sacrifice’, yet makes sure that the neither the Top 1% nor the Chamber should share in that sacrifice.

I’m gonna say it: Even Ruth Ann Minner, especially during her first term, was a far more effective governor than John Carney is shaping up to be.

He was not ready to be governor in January, and likely never will be.

Back from its  latest vacation,  the General Assembly may, or may not, tackle the big issues before its next, and final break (Memorial Day) before the end of session.  I HAVE to think that we will see some revenue-generating initiatives from the D’s being considered.  I would love to see if the House, at least, could pass marijuana legalization before the beginning of June. Perhaps it would help John Carney to focus his thinking on this.

There’s one key bill on the today’s Senate Agenda.  SB 20 (Lavelle)  requires that funds expended from the Transportation Trust Fund go directly to transportation-related projects.  Any deviation from that would require a 3/4 vote of the General Assembly of each chamber.  It’s a good bill, with one political caveat.  The reason why we’ve gotten to this point is because then-Gov. Mike Castle and then-Transportation Secretary Kermit Justice raided this fund to cover DELDOT personnel costs immediately after the bill had been enacted. So, when the Rethugs got their panties in a bunch that the D’s were taking advantage of the bill’s intent, they were, what’s the word I’m looking for, lying.  And they knew it.  Greg Lavelle is such a partisan political hack that he, of course, gave voice to this lie solely for political advantage.  Just remember that.  Make sure that history isn’t rewritten using alternative facts.

Rep. Lumpy Carson’s noble stand to save the Dover Mall finds its way onto today’s House Agenda via HB 115 and HB 116.  HB 115 adds Dover to the list of municipalities designated under the Special Municipality Development District guidelines. HB 116 authorizes Dover City Council to levy certain taxes to pay for the Road to Nowhere‘ the Dover Mall.  Gotta get out my obfuscation dictionary to see what ‘ad valorem’ means, be right back…OK, kids, checked out the undeniable authority, aka Wikipedia, and came up with the following:

Ad Valorem is a tax whose amount is based on the value of a transaction or of property. It is typically imposed at the time of a transaction, as in the case of a sales tax or value-added tax (VAT).

OK, all you fidouches our there, what does that mean?

The reason I ask is b/c this is what HB 116 permits:

allows the City Council of Dover to levy and collect special ad valorem taxes, special taxes, and ad valorem taxes in amounts it deems necessary for any municipal tax increment financing under the Municipal Tax Increment Financing Act and any municipal development districts under the Municipal Special Development District Financing Act.

Does this mean that we’re giving Dover the right to impose a sales tax?  Better change the signs to read “Home of Tax-Free Shopping, With the Exception of Dover, But You Really Should Visit their Mausoleum Mall Anyway”?  I’m guessing no, but I don’t know what these taxes would be otherwise. A little help?

Loads of committee meetings this week.  Starting with the House highlights:

*The House Labor Committee considers HB 1 (Longhurst), which ‘prohibits employers from inquiring into a prospective employee’s compensation history.’  The idea being that women who have been paid less for work at least equal to their male counterparts should not have the gap in wages perpetuated moving forward.

*I guess the shortage of available substitute teachers must be real.  HB 88(Matthews) ‘ allows for juniors and seniors majoring in education at a Delaware college or university to be paid $83 per day as substitute teachers, the same rate paid to those who hold a bachelor’s degree but not a teaching license.’ Education.

*More of Lumpy Carson’s Mall Bailout package will be considered in the House Administration Committee.  HB’s 117, 118, and 119, to be specific.

*I like HB 114(B. Short), which ‘ rais(es) the minimum automobile bodily injury and property damage limits to reflect the current economic conditions’.  Believe it or not, these limits have not been raised since, wait for it, 1983.  Why? Does the phrase ‘foxes guarding the henhouse mean anything to you?

*I’m also a fan of HB 126(Lynn), which permits ‘families that receive child care assistance to continue receiving that assistance for at least 90 days after losing their job provided they are seeking employment during that time’. Health & Human Development.

*I don’t write the bill synopses.  I only occasionally quote them, sometimes verbatim. Ex-cop and State Rep Steve Smyk has provided a quotable one.  From a bill that allegedly somehow will address one of the issues in the state corrections system:

This bill provides greater protection to correctional officers and other state employees who are assaulted in detention facilities by prohibiting assaults committed with a reckless state of mind.

I suppose that I could call for a ban on legislation introduced by ‘Honorables’ in a reckless state of mind.  Or a ban on ‘Honorables’ who introduce legislation while in a reckless state of mind. But that would be too easy and cheap, so I won’t do it.  Uh, Corrections Committee, for those interested.  Some things I simply cannot make up.

OK, not much going on in this week’s Senate Committee meetings.  Only two committees are scheduled to meet.

That’s it for at least a couple more days.  I’ve been on vacation and, for the next two days I’ll likely be off the radar screen, meaning I don’t think I’ll have internet access.  Time to relax-x-x-x…