Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 27, 2018
A quick wrap-up from last Thursday, starting with the comprehensive Session Activity Report. I will only note the passage of HB 144 (Osienski) in the Senate. Why? Because even what appears to be a modest restriction on DELDOT’s ability to acquire property caused the downstate dead-enders to fulminate and foam at the mouth. Perhaps b/c their constituents would see this as the DELDOT equivalent of requiring fluoride in the water supply. Chicken poop? Yes. Fluoride? No. No votes in the Senate: Bonini, Hocker, Lawson, Pettyjohn and Richardson. No votes in the House: Briggs King, Collins, D. Short, Dukes, Hensley, Hudson, Kenton, Outten, Postles, Spiegelman, Wilson, Yearick. Yes, I know that Hensley and Hudson are from New Castle County. But…one is involved in real estate and…the other was married to one who was very involved in real estate at its shadiest level.
Well, lookee here. It appears that Governor Carney submitted some nominations to the Senate on Friday. Do any of those names look familiar? I betcha that one does. First, I do not believe that these nominations were ‘Enacted Upon By the Senate’, I don’t even know what that means. Acted Upon? Maybe, but they weren’t acted upon. They’re scheduled to be considered in committee on Wednesday. Whoa! From Friday to today, Sherry Dorsey-Walker, who has been nominated to the Board Of Parole, has become ‘The Honorable Sherry Dorsey-Walker’. Did I miss something? I know she was once briefly a Wilmington City Council member, but pray tell what is Honorable about her current station? Or, for that matter, her previous one. ‘Honorable’ is one monicker that should never be attached to a Wilmington Council member. BTW, I wonder what kind of a payoff this is. What office will she not run for in exchange for this position? My guess? Auditor. If so, well-played on her part. And cynical on everybody’s part, from the Governor on down.
An interesting House Agenda awaits us today. The ‘Keep KHN Away From the NCC Executive Office’ will be considered. This legislation has gotten new life due to the blatant instability and incompetence of County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle. A previous iteration of the bill failed, because there was no Karen Hartley Nagle in office to provide focus. The bill will probably pass. Because that’s just how unqualified that KHN is to hold any public position. In fact, I’d probably vote for the bill for that reason. Might want to put a sunset amendment on it to address the post-KHN era, though.
Legislation designed to get/keep firearms out of the hands of those who are either a danger to themselves or to others may get a roll call today. It’s a complex bill and a complicated issue. The Delaware Chapter of the ACLU has raised some concerns. From afar, of course. Look for a lengthy discussion and perhaps some more amendments. However, I think this bill can indeed address and perhaps prevent gun-related tragedies. I hope it passes.
Today’s Senate Agenda features SB 139 (Townsend), which ‘requires that health insurance offered in this State provide coverage for fertility care services, including in vitro fertilization (“IVF”) procedures, for individuals who suffer from a disease or condition that results in the inability to procreate or to carry a pregnancy to a live birth’. With R’s Cloutier and Lopez on the bill as co-sponsors, it will likely pass.
One more key note from the Senate Agenda. President Pro-Tem McBride generally provides notice on Tuesdays of the agendas for the remainder of the week. You will note that HS1/HB 330 (Schwartzkopf) is scheduled for Thursday’s Agenda. This bill generally raises the minimum age to purchase deadly weapons from 18 to 21. However, in order for the bill to make it to Thursday’s agenda, it first has to be voted out of committee. This committee. If your State Senator is on the list, you know what to do. Monsignor Lavelle: Adapt or die. Politically, of course.
Back tomorrow with a preview of a (locked and) loaded committee schedule.
