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Delaware General Assembly Pre-Session Show: Tuesday, January 8, 2012

Filed in National by on January 8, 2013 • 30 Comments

2013 has all the makings of the most momentous year in recent legislative memory. The House and Senate have both undergone major institutional and leadership changes. More progressives now serve in Dover than before.

A pro-business governor with aspirations for higher office must decide both what’s best for the state and what’s best for his political future. A host of important issues await, including, of course, Delaware’s economic condition.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR NEWBIES

The Delaware State Senate has 21 members,  currently 13 D’s and 8 R’s. The President Pro-Tempore leads the Senate, although the Lieutenant Governor often, but not always, presides over the senate sessions as a non-voting member. Here is a list of the Senate members.

The House of Representatives has 41 members, currently 27 D’s, 14 R’s. The Speaker of the House presides over the body. You can find the House membership here.

The General Assembly is in session from the second Tuesday in January through June 30 each year. The Senate often returns for a special session in the fall to consider nominations.

The General Assembly breaks for six weeks at the end of January for Joint Finance Committee (budget) hearings and meetings. There is another 2-week break around Easter, and an additional week’s break around Memorial Day.  The Memorial Day break often enables the ‘money’ committees to finish work on marking up the budget.The typical General Assembly meets in session about 50 days a year.

And we are just getting started.

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