Update—April 7th to May 27th

This is probably the longest I have gone between legislative updates. I apologize. So much has been going on. To keep the content digestible, I will stick to meetings and skip the emails (which numbered in the thousands over the past 7 weeks.

On Sunday April 7th I attended the annual meeting of the Friends of the Newark Free Library. On Monday I discussed the upcoming Christina School District referendum with Larry Nagengast. Afterwards I joined a conference call on HB140, the Delaware End of Life Options Act. This was a legislative week. On Tuesday I made a presentation to the Delaware association of Human Resources officers, discussing the legislative process in Delaware. At a luncheon in Dover I learned about Highmark’s charitable work in Delaware. Before session, I met with representatives from labor to discuss HB80, the Earned Income Tax Credit bill, and with a representative from the Department of Insurance about a cyber security bill. After session I attended a reception at the Delaware Ag Museum in Dover. On Wednesday I attended a rally with Moms Demand Action on gun violence prevention legislation, stopped by a DEMEC reception, met with advocates for housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After session I participated with a panel presenting information on the Christina operating referendum. On Thursday the 11th I met with a member of the clergy about HB140. In Dover before session I met with retired state employees, and with advocates for Autism Delaware and attended a special joint Health Committee. On Friday morning I went to Shue-Medill middle school for a presentation to Family, Career & Community of America student teams. On Saturday morning I participated in the Autism Delaware walk at Fox Point State Park.

On Monday April 15th I attended the monthly meeting of a suicide prevention coalition at the Herman Holloway campus in New Castle. On Tuesday, before session I met with representatives from Wesley College, from an education equity group, and with gun rights advocates. After session I attended a public meeting on the proposed bike/pedestrian bridge over the creek by Timothy’s and then went to Gauger-Cobbs middle for a district-wide art exposition and a demonstration of the new voting machines. On Wednesday before session I met with an association of financial advisors, with advocates for the American Cancer Society, and with advocates from Planned Parenthood. After session I participated in a second panel on the Christina referendum at Thurgood Marshall elementary school. On Thursday the 18th I had a meeting on HB17, on state tax refund interceptions. On Friday I attended a morning program of the UD Horn program on entrepreneurship on campus.

I was on vacation during the two week legislative break.

On Tuesday May 7th, I attended a lunch with building contractors, met with a pharmaceutical industry representative, with gun rights advocates, and had a phone call on HB140. On Wednesday morning I hosted my monthly coffee at Greene Turtle. Afterwards I attended a DelDOT meeting with Main Street merchants to discuss the Main Street rehabilitation project. On Thursday May 9th I joined students and family for Bike to School day to Downes Elementary School. Afterwards, before session I attended a homelessness program in Dover, and met with a gun rights advocate. After session I met with representatives from State Farm Insurance. On Friday morning I attended a town hall called by State Auditor McGuiness. That evening I attended and spoke at a Planned Parenthood event in Wilmington. On Saturday morning I attended the graduation ceremony at the Delaware State University.

On Monday the 13th I presented a class on HB140, the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Act at the Academy of Lifelong Learning. On Tuesday, after voting in the school board election I attended a luncheon with representatives from chain drug and grocery stores in Delaware, and discussed the issue of ‘surprise billing’ with a lobbyist. After session I met with a member of clergy to discuss HB140. On Wednesday morning I attended a Delaware state library event in Dover. After session I attended an event with retired educators. On Thursday the 16th I met with representatives of the state obstetrician/gynecologist association. On Friday morning I participated in and spoke at Bike to Work Day on the UD campus. I met with the Enterprise car rental business on Cleveland Avenue that morning. That evening I attended the movie The Public at Theatre N, which did an excellent job, with an incredible cast, exploring affordable housing/homelessness and public libraries.

 

On Sunday the 19th I attended Newark’s Memorial Day ceremony on UD’s campus, and participated in the Memorial Day parade. On Monday I attended the legal subcommittee of several Delaware disabilities councils, sharing the fact that the federal ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) defines disabilities in such a manner as to explicitly exclude terminal illness, affirming my contention that HB140 is not a ‘disabilities issue’, despite being an issue for many individuals with disabilities, both those who support and those who oppose the legislation. That evening I attended an annual event sponsored by the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence, spotlighting the efforts of two legislators and one community advocate. On Tuesday I attended a rally in Wilmington affirming the constitutional right of women for reproductive health freedom. On Wednesday I met with representatives from the county and the city of Newark to discuss a proposed change to the local service fee cost-sharing program. On Thursday evening the 23rd I attended an Iftar Ramadan dinner at the Islamic Society of Delaware. On Friday morning I met with an advocate for the Krantz Hill Farm programming. On Saturday the 25th I dropped off a House and Senate tribute for a memorial service, and I attended a second memorial service, at which I presented a House tribute.