Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed a bill to restructure the state committee that tried to move state retirees from a rich health plan to a Medicare Advantage one to save money. House Bill 282, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, is one of several that grew out of a year’s worth of committee hearings. It promised to revise the …
GOP senators: Hecklers, smirking legislators ’embarrassment’
Republican senators said Tuesday they were disappointed at the hecklers interrupting Gov. John Carney’s last State of the State speech — and even more disappointed in the members of the legislature smirking during the heckling. A video shows the first heckler, a woman in the gallery wearing a pink hajib, start shouting and asking for a moment of silence. As …
Delaware seems destined to have hard budget choices next year
Delaware budget forecasts show that revenues and expenditures for 2025 are running at almost the same level as this year, which had a budget of $6.1 billion. Even so, Dover politicians may have to scramble to figure out how to accommodate an additional $400 million in expenses for 2025. That’s what Cerron Cade, director of the state Office of Budget …
Wilmington to send parking tickets to court, end city review
An organization pushing reform of Wilmington’s parking fine practices praised the city’s move to abandon its administrative appeals process and send appeals directly to court. “This is a significant step in the right direction,” said Ken Grant on behalf of the Wilmington Fines and Fees Justice Team. “After years of hearing about issues with the city’s administrative process for parking …
Police dogs to receive more state benefits when working, retired
Working and retired police dogs will have extra care and services paid for by the state now that two Republican bills have been signed into law. Both received wide bipartisan support, passing the General Assembly unanimously. One bill signed Thursday by Gov. John Carney allows working police dogs to be transported by paramedics and other emergency medical service providers. …
Deldot seeks bids to build electric charging stations
The Delaware Department of Transportation is now accepting bids for the construction, operation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations along Route 13, Route 113, Route 1 and Interstate 95. The new direct-current charging stations must be located within one mile of these roads with no more than 50 miles between each location, the Deldot press release said. The state’s primary …
Carney to end public health emergency order in May
Playing follow the leader, Gov. John Carney announced Tuesday he will end the State of Delaware’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order on May 11. That will coincide with the plans of President Joe Biden, who announced months ago that he would end the national public health emergency May 11. “Consistent with the ending of the federal public health emergency, and …
House resolution would declare Atheist Day in Delaware
A recently circulated General Assembly resolution would designate March 23 as National Atheist Day in Delaware. Sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow and Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, the resolution doesn’t yet have a bill number. Efforts were not successful to reach Morrison for comment. Sturgeon said she grew up and remains Catholic, but believes in philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s leap …
Kent, Sussex child care centers may get higher Del. payments
A bill that would force the state to pay Kent and Sussex County child care programs the same fees that it pays New Castle ones seems headed to the Senate floor. No one spoke against Senate Bill 59, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Arden, when it came up Wednesday in the Senate Health & Social Services Committee. Gay said …
Marijuana legalization bill passes House, sent to Senate
The Delaware House of Representatives on Tuesday once again sent a bill to legalize the use of marijuana in the First State to the Senate, this time on a 28 to 13 vote. House Bill 1 is sponsored yet again by Rep. Edward Osienski, D-Newark, who managed to get a similar bill passed last year, only to see it vetoed …