All Posts Tagged With: "Delaware General Assembly"

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Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

As we move into the last week of this session, here is what absolutely must happen in the next three days:
* The Budget Bill, already passed in the House, must pass in the Senate.
*The Bond Bill must pass both houses
*The Grant-In-Aid bill must pass both houses (a grant-in-aid bill is not legally required, but there [...]

28Jun2011 | El Somnambulo | 1 comment | Continued
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Delaware’s Budget Mess

Today’s News Journal takes a look at the hard part of the budget – reducing pension and Medicaid costs.

1Feb2011 | Unstable Isotope | 10 comments | Continued
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Governor’s State of the State Address Open Thread

Governor Jack Markell will be delivering the yearly State of the State address from Leg Hall starting at 2pm today.

20Jan2011 | cassandra_m | 20 comments | Continued
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Sad News: Rep. Hazel Plant Has Died

The governor’s office has announced that former state Representative Hazel Plant has died.

24Nov2010 | Unstable Isotope | 17 comments | Continued
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Jim Westhoff’s Opponent…In His Own Words

Never thought I’d see someone from Sussex County actually make Charlie West seem…articulate.
Then again, never saw Jim Westhoff’s opponent, Dave Wilson, before.
Check out this video of Wilson, and then come back for some astute commentary from Yours Truly:
Ah, I see you’re back. Ignore the stumbling syntax, the real meat is in what Wilson says. First [...]

12Oct2010 | El Somnambulo | 9 comments | Continued
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Blogging the House: The Final Chapter

House is back in session. I’m starting this at 7:45 p.m. and will continue until I and/or the wine hold out. House is considering SB 228(McDowell). Gerald Pepper of the Insurance Commissioner’s office is testifying. D. Short is asking questions. Uh-oh, given his choice between KWS and Gene Reed, floor manager Gerald Brady has asked [...]

30Jun2010 | El Somnambulo | 9 comments | Continued
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General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., June 10, 2010

Following yesterday’s session, Big Brother will have an even tighter hold on your wallet. You’ll now pay $110 instead of $75 for a red light violation caught on camera, courtesy of HB 189(Mitchell). The bill passed the Senate and heads to the Governor. And, in the spirit of creeping Big Brotherism, don’t refer to these [...]

10Jun2010 | El Somnambulo | 12 comments | Continued
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General Assembly Post-Game Wrapup/Pre-Game Show-Thurs., April 29, 2010

The Big News-Universal Recycling on Today’s Senate Agenda
SB 234(McBride) is first on today’s Senate Agenda. Why is this important? As always, Tommywonk explains it all for us. As he points out, the alternative of finding a replacement for the Cherry Island landfill would be difficult, at best:
Of course, we may not be able to find [...]

29Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 11 comments | Continued
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Political Hot Stove Chatter-Delaware General Assembly Edition

Lotsa stuff percolating on the stove. Let’s try to bring ‘em to a boil…
1. Democratic Primary for Oberle Seat
Two D’s have filed in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Bill Oberle in this blue-collar Newark-area district. The D registration edge is so daunting that the winner of the primary almost certainly will win the General…unless [...]

28Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 47 comments | Continued
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General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Report-Wed., April 28, 2010

The Insurance Commissioner got her free pass and the Rethugs in the House reemerged as the ‘Daddy’ Party. Just another day in Dover.
Mike Barbieri’s common-sense bill that eliminates mandatory reporting of  school ‘incidents’ involving kids from ages 9-12 barely passed, largely on a party line vote. In other words, those voting ‘no’, or going ‘not [...]

28Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 1 comment | Continued
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Delaware General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, April 27, 2010

First, allow me to apologize for the lack of a ‘Post-Game/Pre-Game’ feature last Thursday. Had a surgical procedure and was out of commission. Pleased to report that I can finally see the light at the end of the carpal tunnel, so all is well.
As expected, the bill enabling the State to rope in captive insurance [...]

27Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 4 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrapup/Pre-Game Show-Wed., April 21, 2010

Yesterday was ‘Clean Your Plate’ Day in Dover  as the General Assembly disposed of several bills that had hung around for awhile. Many are now ready for action by the Governor. There is still some broccoli  remaining, but isn’t there always?
The pure political hackiness that is Nancy Cook was on full display as well. The [...]

21Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 2 comments | Continued
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Legislative Pre-Game Show Plus Rant: Tuesday, April 20, 2010

OK, folks, it’s rant time. The obligatory and halfhearted hearing into the Insurance Commissioner’s office can only be described as pathetic.
Based on published reports and what was reported at DL, there appeared to have been next-to-no preparation by the respective committee members. Little in the way of followup questions. And the weak post-hearing handwringing that [...]

20Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 17 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show-April 1, 2010

Like the month of March, legislators are going out like lambs (to the slaughter?).
Three weeks of vamping and wasting $$’s end today as the Holier-Than-Thous adjourn for a 2-week ‘Easter’ break. Nothing of note accomplished. The signature bill, HB 194, in limbo b/c Monsignor Lavelle switched from ‘yes’ to ‘no’ so that he could be [...]

1Apr2010 | El Somnambulo | 2 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show-Wed., March 31

“Idle hands are the Devil’s playground.” Prof. Harold Hill- “The Music Man”
No doubt this is a biblical reference as well, a book I’ve been meaning to read for some time now. I use it here b/c we’re starting to see well-meaning, but dangerous, legislation starting to surface, most concerning additional charges for existing crimes. While [...]

31Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 1 comment | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 30

Better late than never.
No, no, not the post-game show from last Thursday’s session, but House Resolution 38, introduced and passed Thursday (March 25), “PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY 21-27, 2010 AS FOOD CHECK-OUT WEEK IN DELAWARE.”
Memo to Rep. Pam Thornburg: If you’re gonna do a resolution like this, it might be more effective to do it before the [...]

30Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 2 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show-Thurs., March 25, 2010

Let’s start with yesterday’s Session (In)Activity Report. The General Assembly could have, and I think, should have, saved the State some money by, at most, holding one week of session from mid-March to the Easter break. The lack of activity does not justify 9 days of session. I understand why the action is relatively sparse–there’s [...]

25Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 1 comment | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show-Wed., March 24, 2010

Looks like they must’ve installed some new, even more compelling, solitaire games on the Legislative Council computers. How else can you explain that yesterday’s session report cites activity going back to at least June of 2009 as new action effective yesterday? Perhaps the porn filter was on the fritz?
With that caveat, here is yesterday’s session [...]

24Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 1 comment | Continued
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Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show-Tues., March 23, 2010

Before I preview today’s session, I simply HAVE to feature  House Concurrent Resolution #28, introduced by the most bat-shit crazy of the House & Senate Rethuglican Caucus. Note the moderate tone this resolution strikes:
URGING THE 111TH CONGRESS TO ABANDON THE IRRATIONAL PURSUIT OF A FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FEDERAL HEALTHCARE ENTITLEMENT PLAN AND ENACT LESS COSTLY ALTERNATIVES [...]

23Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 5 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show-Thurs. March 18, 2010

The big news is that John ‘Let’s Arm Everyone’ Atkins had to backtrack on his bill that could’ve, well, armed everyone. Here’s the money quote from Delaware’s Most Embarrassing Legislator:
“We’re either going to come in with a substitute bill or an amendment,” Atkins said. “It was never Sen. Booth’s or my intent to allow guns [...]

18Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 15 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Report-St. Patty’s Day 2010

Fearless Prediction #1: Garish green will be worn in Leg Hall today by people who should not wear garish green in this lifetime or any other.
Fearless Prediction #2: For the second consecutive day of this 3-week session, the Senate will have no agenda. Not necessarily a BAD thing, mind you, but couldn’t they at least [...]

17Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 34 comments | Continued
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Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, March 16, 2010

They’re ba-a-a-a-ck. For three weeks…before they break for Easter. The ‘honorables’ (shout out to Ralph Moyed) return to Dover with expansion of casino gambling apparently at the top of the ‘to-do, or not to-do’ list.
I support expansion beyond the current race-track sites, not b/c I was a strong advocate for casino gambling in the first [...]

16Mar2010 | El Somnambulo | 9 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up: Session of Jan. 28, 2010

As expected, it was a busy day in Dover. The entire Session Activity record here.
In the Senate, as reported yesterday, HB 310, which legalizes table games in Delaware was passed and subsequently signed into law by Governor Markell. It was really the only notable bill passed in the Senate yesterday.
The House was a whole ‘nother story. [...]

29Jan2010 | El Somnambulo | 5 comments | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 28, 2010

Last Pre-Game Show for 6 weeks, as the General Assembly recesses for budget hearings.
That means that today will be busy, with certain bills being fast-tracked for final passage before the recess.
Yesterday’s activity sets the stage for today, meaning it’s time for the…
POST-GAME WRAP-UP
The General Assembly’s latest sop to Del-Tech, SB 202 (or more precisely, SS1 [...]

28Jan2010 | El Somnambulo | Comments Off | Continued
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Legislative Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Wed., Jan. 27, 2010

POST-GAME WRAPUP:
Lotsa brand new bills and brand new committee assignments for them. I’ll discuss the ones I find interesting (and/or worrisome) in my  Pre-Game Show report below.
As noted here yesterday, the Senate considered and passed a series of non-controversial house bills. Perhaps the most notable of the lot is HB 249 (Keeley), which requires pharmacists [...]

27Jan2010 | El Somnambulo | 3 comments | Continued

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