Tag: Delaware gun control

Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., January 14, 2014

Filed in Delaware by on January 14, 2014 27 Comments
Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., January 14, 2014

The 2nd Session of the 147th General Assembly begins today. For newbies, or for those who forget easily, here’s what you need to know.  Each legislative term lasts two years, from election to election. The 147th General Assembly runs until Election Day. Since this is the second year of the Assembly, all legislation that was in play on July 1, 2013 remains in play today. Of course, that doesn’t even consider new bills, new nominees, new controversy and, of course, new snark from Yours Truly.

The General Assembly meets for three weeks in January, breaks for six weeks for Joint Finance Committee hearings until mid-March, meets until Easter, breaks for two weeks, meets until around Memorial Day, breaks for two weeks (this is usually when the fiscal bills are finalized), and then meets until the early hours of July 1. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

This can and should be a busy and productive January session. It WILL be a contentious session. Here’s just some of the stuff that likely will be considered during January….:

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General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., May 14, 2013

Filed in National by on May 14, 2013 34 Comments

While we were busy celebrating the passage and signing into law of Delaware’s Marriage Equality Act, the House effectively killed off legislation providing a modest hike in Delaware’s minimum wage. Make no mistake: the killing of SB 6 was deliberate and planned, and the co-conspirators were all Democrats: Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, Rep. Bryon Short, and Gov. Jack Markell.

Here’s how it happened. After bargaining in what he thought was good faith with Gov. Walker Markell, Sen. Robert Marshall agreed to amendments that significantly reduced the impact of SB 6. Specifically, he agreed to push back the effective date, to decouple subsequent rate increases from the rate of inflation, and to lower the amount of the increase. Markell praised the eviscerated finished product, and said he could support the bill. Which was the last ‘support’ he provided. And Speaker Pete got the memo loud and clear: Kill the bill!

And he did. How? By assigning it to the House Business Lapdog Committee, aka the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce Committee, instead of to the House Labor Committee. Chaired by Rep. Bryon Short. You may recall that this is precisely the same tactic that former Speaker Bob Gilligan employed when Markell wanted him to kill the bill last session. And, for the second straight session, Short did not disappoint. SB 6 was passed in the Senate on March 21. It did not receive its hearing in the committee until May 8, and that was deliberate. Short allowed the bill to languish until the last day that, according to House rules, it had to be considered in committee. Many of you are aware of the full-court press opposition led by the respective Chambers of Commerce in the past two weeks. By delaying consideration of the bill, the committee chair enabled that campaign to have optimal effect. To the point where empty tabula rasas like Andria Bennett were reciting Chamber talking points verbatim in opposition to as Democratic a bill as you’ll ever find.

Gov. Markell demonstrated some slickness here. By saying that he would sign SB 6, he eliminates any political stigma that Democrats would attach to him in a future run for political office for publicly opposing a minimum wage increase. And he gets Pete and his DLC house cronies to kill the bill. Just like he did last year. Just remember, Markell’s fingerprints are all over this. Cut’n save.

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General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., May 2, 2013

Filed in National by on May 2, 2013 18 Comments

The question of the day: ‘Why Tuesday, Why Not Today?’ Why is HB 75 (Marriage Equality), which cleared the Senate Executive Committee yesterday, not being worked today? The questions, and my highly-speculative answer are herein reprinted in their entirety:

Dale: Does anyone have any insight as to why the Senate vote on HB 75 was scheduled for next Tuesday, a full week (not actually) after the committee vote?

El Somnambulo thought that it might be scheduled for the very next day. And I read on the site of the conservative DE Family Policy Council that they thought the same thing. Why put it off a week? Could this mean that the 2 “undecided” senators are not simply keeping their intentions under wraps, but instead might genuinely be undecided and need more time? Is Hall Long requesting the extra time so that she can “poll” her district, as the News Journal reported?

El Somnambulo: Good questions, Dale. Blevins knows what she’s doing here, and your speculation could well be accurate. If she thinks that they need a little room to come to grips with their decisions, then I think that’s the right thing to do.

There might, repeat, MIGHT, even be an Alphonse/Gaston situation here. What if two senators are reluctant to be the ‘deciding’ vote on an issue, but would each conceivably be ‘yes’ votes if theirs was the 12th rather than the 11th vote? That way, they’d have cover that their vote in essence made no difference. Seems crazy, I know, but stranger things have happened.

I know that this issue is a ‘no-brainer’ for a lot of us, but there’s lots more at play than meets the eye with some legislators. I DO know that HB 75 has a superb grassroots lobbying effort behind it, so I don’t think we’ll lose ground between now and next Tuesday. Might just gain some.

Anyone have anything to add? Keep in mind that the goal of supporters should be to help these senators get to ‘yes’.

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General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., March 19, 2013

Filed in National by on March 19, 2013 18 Comments

Go ahead. Pick a hot-button issue. Any hot-button issue. This year’s General Assembly is considering it. Can’t remember this many controversial issues under consideration.

Gun control? Check. Gay marriage? Check. Death penalty? Check. Minimum wage? Check. I’m not sure if there’s enough time/political capital to go around.

So. Please allow me to prioritize. To me, there are no excuses for the Delaware General Assembly not passing gun control and minimum wage legislation this year.

The votes are there for minimum wage. Only the Governor’s (a) unwillingness to get on board, and/or (b) the Governor’s opposition to minimum wage stand in the way. Last year, it was (b), and friendly house leadership buried the bill in an unfriendly House committee. This year, the Governor has stated that he’s excited about the debate (Truthometer says? BZZZT), but won’t take a position. Only with Jack Markell could that be considered as progress. Let’s be practical here. Markell’s best chance to stop the bill, and it’s not good, is in the Senate. But, the Senate voted for minimum wage last year and, other than Sen. Venables, I think it’s unlikely that any other D’s will vote no. The margin of support for minimum wage is even larger in the House, so Markell’s only chance there is to get the bill buried in committee.

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