On Monday the 12th I hosted a meeting at Panera with many people involved in issues for the homeless in and near Newark. Afterwards I met with Planned Parenthood of DE to learn about LARC, Long Acting Reversible Contraception, and how it can help reduce teenage and unwanted pregnancy, and abusive relationships. That evening I attended the annual dinner with the State Chamber of Commerce. On Tuesday, after the legislature (at which I was sworn in), I attended a meeting of the Christina School Board to review the progress that they had made working with the state Department of Education on their six Priority Schools. On Thursday before the legislature met I attended the Awards Luncheon in Dover for the State Council for Persons with Disabilities. After session I attended a reception hosted by the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association. I taped two segments, one on small restaurants (House Bill 16) and one on which zoning restrictions should apply to the University of Delaware (House Bill 6).
On Wednesday the 21st I attended a meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Manufactured Housing, and that evening after legislative session I attended a dinner with the DE Agricultural Industry. On Thursday the 22nd before session I addressed a gathering of the Delaware AFL-CIO, and I met with members of Delaware’s Girl Scouts organization. After session on Thursday I met again with the AFL-CIO and I attended a reception by the DE Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association. On Friday the 23rd I joined in a phone call with state and national nursing organizations, to discuss the midwifery bill that I am finalizing.
We met Tuesday through Thursday of each of the past two weeks. On the 13th we primarily were sworn in, elected our leaders, and followed much pomp and circumstance. On the 14th the House Economic Development committee released a bill to update our banking rules to permit a bank which was forced during the 2008-2009 meltdown to sell securities to the federal government to be able to buy them back. The committee also heard HB 16 (my small restaurant bill), and we obtained the necessary signatures to release the bill on Thursday the 15th.
On Tuesday the 20th, HB 6, the UD zoning bill, was released. On Wednesday the House Economic Development committee released HB 24, which supports vacation rentals at Cedar Creek Hundred. On Thursday we heard the Governor present his State of the State address (see http://news.delaware.gov/2015/01/22/governor-markell-presents-vision-for-delaware-to-thrive-in-a-new-era/).
In the past two weeks my email has addressed a wide range of issues. I have been working on specific legislation, the small restaurant bill, the UD zoning bill, the midwifery bill, and a death with dignity bill.
I have been working with state and national officials to help identify best practices for ‘reading lists’ for our public schools, an issue recently raised in Appoquinimink School District, and last year in Sussex County.
I reached out to DART and was able to resolve a concern that Friendship House had encountered purchasing bus passes which they provide to their homeless clients in Newark and in Wilmington. I reached out to DelDOT to resolve a small sinkhole that has persistently troubled resident along and off Church Road.
I have been involved with some resident concerns, on mailing addresses for residents of Nonantum Mills, Unami Trail, Newark city council matters, proper funding for those with disabilities, ensuring the safety of pets left inside vehicles on hot and on cold days, a posthumous pardon for Delawareans convicted of participating with the Underground Railroad, state police vehicles, the process when a firearm is stolen from a resident, and International (Charles) Darwin Day.