General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 10, 2019

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on January 10, 2019

Everything is in place to pass the Delaware Equal Rights Amendment by next Wednesday.  HB 1 was released from the House Administration Committee yesterday. It will be considered in the House today.  The Senate has already posted a notice that the bill will be considered in the Senate Executive Committee next Wednesday. Assuming, of course, that the bill passes in the House, which it will. It will be on the way to the Governor’s desk no later than next Thursday. Oh, wait, no it won’t.  Constitutional amendments do not require a governor’s signature.  He’ll want to get in on the act though as it might take his and everybody’s minds off of the brushfire that is his administration.

HB 1 is the only bill on today’s House Agenda.  Let’s just see which representatives wish to go down in history as having opposed equal rights for women. I betcha there will be a few. 

Let’s talk briefly, b/c that is all it warrants, about Sen. McBride’s ‘big announcement’.  Sen. McBride is not the first leader to call for an early exit from Dover. Tom Sharp did it as well, and often followed through.  What you may not know is that holdups on July 1 are not always due to issues with the ‘money bills’.  Sometimes, especially during the second year of the legislative session, it’s because ‘must pass’ bills, meaning the priorities of each legislative body, get caught up in the wash on the last day.  I wonder if Sen. McBride will be able to keep his promise if a game of chicken emerges between the House and Senate.  If he recesses at 1 am, then the House could well call it a night as well, and leave several Senate bills unworked.  Hey, that’s all I’ve got.

Here’s yesterday’s Session Activity Report. As you can see, the bodies passed some ceremonial resolutions and resolutions necessary to confirm that both houses have organized and are ready to work.

As of now, no Senate bills have been introduced. As of now, the Senate does not have a permanent replacement for Bernard Brady as Secretary of the Senate. Joy Bower, who was Bernard’s assistant and who is terrific, has assumed the role of Acting Secretary. But she apparently doesn’t wish to take on the job permanently, which is why Bernard Brady was in the Senate on Tuesday, providing technical assistance. 

I’d love to give you 1000 words today, but I can only work with whatever grist the legislative mill provides me.  See you Tuesday.

 

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  1. Delaware Equal Rights Amendment passes House, 35-6. Those voting no: Collins, Dukes, Morris, Postles, Vanderwende and Yearick. According to Scott Goss, Dukes said he voted no b/c he feared the constitutional amendment ‘will be “manipulated” by the courts to mandate state-funded abortion’.