We are down to the last few days of the legislative session, when the General Assembly always goes crazy and passes more laws than they did in the preceding five months.

Here are some bills to watch out for:

Good: Tell the Speaker of the House and/or Lt Gov & Senate President Pro Tem that these are important to you and you want them placed on the agenda for a vote.

• HB 168 - Repeal of Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentences
  This is a good bill that will save taxpayers from wasting a lot of money on needlessly imprisoning non-violent drug users. It has enough votes to pass in both houses. The problem is that it may die in a Senate Committee. Again. Please tell your Senator & Representative you want them to support this bill and bring it to the floor for a vote as soon as possible.
• HB 193 - Sale of Beer & Wine in Grocery Stores
  This is a small step in the right direction of eliminating another of Delaware's outdated liquor laws. Please tell your Senator & Representative to support this bill.
• SB 94 - Medical Marijuana
  This bill is a small step in the right direction, but instead of creating an expensive new state bureaucracy and violating the privacy of everyone involved, we should simply legalize or decriminalize marijuana.

BAD:

• HB 26 - Seizure of property to collect fines
  This bill would allow city or county governments to treat unpaid fines, fees, or service charges as tax liens and seize property to force payment. It has already passed in the House. Tell your Senator to oppose it. There is an amendment to prohibit use of Sheriff's Sales to collect amounts less than $10,000 tell your Senator to support this, but still oppose the bill.
• HB 197 - Speeding Ticket Cameras
  This bill is bad for several reasons: 1) it would allow police to issue fines on the basis of a technology even less reliable than what is used in red-light cameras (and by the way, the effectiveness of red-light cameras in enhancing traffic safety is extremely questionable); and 2) it characterizes the fine as a "civil assessment" as a loophole to flagrantly deny us our Right to presumption of innocence, the Right to confront the witnesses against us, and other due process rights guaranteed by both the Federal and Delaware Bills of Rights; 3) the companies that manufacture this equipment, and often get a share of the revenue it generates refuse to allow its design or the source code of its programs to be independently examined and audited; and 4) the sponsors are trying to portray this revenue enhancement bill as an attempt to protect school children and construction workers, but it is virtually certain that the cameras will be operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week whether or not school is in session or workers are actually present in the construction zones. There is an amendment proposed to limit the program to the City of Wilmington and New Castle County and drop construction zones.
• HB 210, 211 - Bills to Increase Tobacco Taxes & Alcohol License Fees
  These bills to drive business out of Delaware and punish low income workers such as waitresses and sales clerks were defeated on 6/18 and should have died. But the House leadership used a parliamentary trick to bring them back and schedule them for a last minute vote. On the 2nd try these Bills passed by a single vote in the House. Tell your Senator to oppose them.
• HB 245 - Elections
  This bill contains provisions to make it more difficult for minor political parties to nominate candidates for public office, and to double the number of registered voters necessary for minor political parties to qualify for ballot access. It is being treated as a bill making minor technical corrections to election law. It has passed the house and will easily pass in the Senate. It may be possible to get the anti-3rd party provisions removed. contact the Senate sponsors, the Senate leaders, and your Senator. Also spread the word to any contacts you may have among other 3rd parties.
• HS 1 for HB 264 - Personal Income Tax Increase
  Increases Personal Income Taxes for Delawareans making over $60,000. Passed in House by a single vote. Ask the Senate to oppose and defeat it.
• SB 74 - Implementing the REAL ID Act
  We should defeat this bill, and instead join with 23 other states in passing a Resolution or Law refusing to implement REAL ID and calling for its repeal. Oppose this! We do not want to be the 1st state to give in and comply with this unfunded National ID mandate

Defeated:

• HB 212 - Alcohol Tax Increase
  Let's hope it stays dead this time.