Leg Hall

Senate Dems pick up committee seats with larger majority

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

Leaders in the Delaware Senate have revealed the body’s committee assignments for the 152nd General Assembly which begins in January. Senate President Pro Tempore-Elect Dave Sokola announced the assignments Monday. “Legislative committees are an essential part of the legislative process where senators gather public input and determine which bills should move forward,” Sokola said in a news release. “The assignments …

Caucus votes for new leadership

Democrats pick (not so) new caucus leaders

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

Delaware House and Senate Democrats are sticking with the status quo in the next General Assembly. Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, was re-elected Speaker of the House during a caucus meeting Saturday after serving in that position since 2013. Schwartzkopf faced a challenge from Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark. House Democrats would not release a roll call vote to Delaware LIVE …

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Legislature to reconvene to tackle Medicare Advantage

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

In response to protests by state government retirees who say they were left in the dark over a significant change to their health insurance, the General Assembly unveiled a bill Monday aimed at creating additional oversight. The House of Representatives and Senate will hold a special session in Dover on Oct. 26 to debate and vote on the bill. Pensioners …

McG Schwartz

House speaker refuses to consider McGuiness removal

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

The Delaware Senate on Monday passed a resolution to begin a process Democratic leadership hopes will result in the removal of one of their own: State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness. Every Republican voted against the measure, putting them in line with House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, who said he has “no intention of calling the House into session to consider this …

STATE AUDITOR KATHLEEN MCGUINESS (LEFT) AND HER ATTORNEY, STEVE WOOD, ENTER THE KENT COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN DOVER ON JUNE 24, 2022. (CHARLIE MEGGINSON/DELAWARE LIVE)

Calls mount for McGuiness to resign, be impeached

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

  Calls continued to mount Tuesday for Delaware’s auditor, who was convicted Friday of three misdemeanors, including official misconduct, to leave her office by resigning or being impeached. Kathleen McGuiness said after the trial that she planned to stay in the job and run for re-election this year. Gov. John Carney on Friday said McGuiness needs to resign, but that …

HC Magazine

Del. Senate again votes to ban high-capacity magazines

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

A bill aimed at restricting the capacity of firearm magazines passed in the state Senate Tuesday by a vote of 13 to 7.  Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 6 bans the possession, sale, purchase, receipt or transfer of magazines that hold more than 17 rounds of ammunition.  That’s higher than the 10 round-maximum in Maryland, New Jersey and New …

Sen. Darius Brown’s committee positions reinstated

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

Sen. Darius Brown, D-Wilmington State Sen. Darius Brown has been reinstated as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and member of the Senate Capital Improvement Committee. Brown, D-Wilmington, was removed from the Judiciary Committee in May 2021 after being arrested on misdemeanor offensive touching and disorderly conduct charges. He was removed from the Capital Improvement Committee in Nov. 2021 after …

Science of reading bill heads to Senate floor with bipartisan support

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

A bill requiring the state’s public schools to use techniques and materials employing the science of reading is headed to the Senate floor.     Delaware has a literacy problem, and Sen. Laura Sturgeon is trying to fix it by having schools teach using the science of reading.  Her Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 4, which requires Delaware schools …

Legislative Hall to reopen to the public

Charlie Megginson Government, Headlines

The leaders of the Delaware House of Representatives and Senate plan to open Legislative Hall to the public effective immediately, they said during a committee meeting Thursday. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf and Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Dave Sokola plan to announce the building’s opening later Thursday or Friday.  “My intent is open to building up, get …

GOP bill to change civics curriculum stalls in committee

Charlie Megginson Education, Government, Headlines

A Republican-backed measure that would require Delaware schools to teach that communism and totalitarianism conflict with freedom and democracy was shot down by the Senate Education Committee Tuesday. Senate Bill 206, sponsored by Sen. Bryant Richardson, R-Seaford, would have required school districts and charter schools to provide instruction in comparative political ideology for students in tenth grade. The bill specifically …