On Monday the 9th I joined a conference call for the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence, on whose board I serve. That evening I attended the annual Delaware State Chamber of Commerce dinner. On Tuesday the 10th at legislative session all members were sworn in, leadership was installed, and rules were adopted. On Wednesday the 11th I attended a presentation at which two of my colleagues and I received AARP’s annual Capital Caregiver Award. I had meetings before legislative session on FOIA, and on education funding. That evening I attended the public forum to meet the finalists for the next Christina School District superintendent. On Thursday before session I had a meeting on public education. After session I attended a reception sponsored by the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association and then drove to Newark to serve on a panel at a meeting of the greater Christina Manor community, to explore the issue of a municipality simultaneously annexing and then rezoning a property. On Saturday the 14th I met with a city councilperson, then met with several youth and young adults to discuss civic engagement. That afternoon I attended a fundraiser at the Deer Park for Preston’s Playground.
On Monday the 16th I met with members of several Delaware Unitarian Universalist congregations to discuss social action, and that evening I attended a monthly meeting of the 23rd Representative District Democratic committee. On Tuesday the 17th I attended the inauguration of Governor Carney and Lieutenant Governor Hall-Long. After session, I had a meeting on reimbursement for home health care. That evening I attended the inaugural celebration in Dover. On Wednesday the 18th I had a meeting on health issues, I led the meeting of the Manufactured Housing Committee, and participated in the meetings of the Economic Development and of the Health committees. I stopped by a reception sponsored by the AFL-CIO, and then headed to Newark for a fundraiser at the Grain for Water is Life Kenya. On Thursday before session I had another meeting on home health care, and then met with members of NORML who are promoting the legalization, regulation, and taxation of recreational marijuana. I presented a House Concurrent Resolution honoring January as Sexual Trafficking Awareness Month. That evening I attended receptions of the Delaware Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association, and of the Agriculture industry. I then drove to AI DuPont Hospital to assist with a panel of insurance experts for a support group for families with transgender children. On Friday I taped two segments for the Comcast Newsmakers program. On Saturday I helped lead the Women’s March in Newark, and spoke at the rally afterwards.
Emails
In the past two weeks I have had emails on a variety of topics.
Legislative topics included manufactured housing (a few bills, the Widener study, problems in specific communities), direct shipment of wine (I expect to introduce a bill in March), medical and recreational marijuana, medical aid in dying, expanding the scope of practice for dental hygienists, dog breed-specific legislation, criminalizing underage smoking, rejecting the recommendation from the Delaware Compensation Committee, parking accessible to those with disabilities, illicit massage parlors, making absentee voting easier, a bill to ease the donation of unused food to charities, an organ donation bill.
Larger topics have included public education (funding, ESSA, charter school policy, school district consolidation), fiscal policy (income tax deductibility of losses), property reassessment, and data breeches.
I have responded to emails from constituents on topics including opposing Muslim registries, a constitutional convention, the proposed Florida-T intersection at Cleveland and Library Avenues, RadioNewark, national popular vote, dissection of animals in biology classes, several errors made in a constituent’s request for a birth certificate for their child, and the Fairfield Shopping Center.
I have requested tributes for those who have passed away, and for a woman who turned 100.