Whip Count

On this episode of Whip Count, in honor of Women’s History Month, hear from House Majority Leadership as they discuss their journey in life and the lessons they learned along the way.

On this episode of Whip Count, Speaker Valerie Longhurst along with Alisa Schneidman, Author of the House of Weird, and Patricia May board member from the Delaware Association for Children of Alcohol and Marijuana Dependency discuss the impact and effects of alcoholism on individuals and the family dynamic. Additionally, they discuss the importance of House Current Resolution 83 which designates February 11th to 17th as “Children of Alcoholics Week”, and urges discussions around the effects of alcoholism. The episode focuses on how to destigmatize discussions around alcoholism and how to break the generational cycle of alcoholism. Author Alisa Schneidman shares the inspiration behind her book House of Weird, and guests discuss their personal stories relating to alcoholism in their families and growing up as a child of an alcoholic.

Before the 152nd General Assembly officially kicked off, we introduced the five new members of our caucus and their plans to make an impact in Legislative Hall. In part two of our freshmen series, we spoke to Rep. Sophie Phillips about her first legislative session and the surprise lessons she learned along the way.

On the latest episode of Whip Count, Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton and environmental activist Anissa Cartagena join us to discuss HB 220, also known as Delaware’s Green Amendment. This proposed amendment would enshrine residents’ right to a clean and healthy environment in the Delaware Constitution and make it clear that all branches, agencies and political subdivisions of the state would serve as trustee of Delaware’s natural resources and be responsible for conserving, protecting, and maintaining them.

Before the 152nd General Assembly officially kicked off, we introduced the five new members of our caucus and their plans to make an impact in Legislative Hall. On this new series, we’ll catch up with these history-making members as they reflect on their first legislative session and the surprising lessons they’ve learned along the way. This week, we sat down with Rep. Cyndie Romer to hear her perspective on her first year in the legislature.

In spring 2023, Gov. Carney, DelDOT, the Delaware Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security, and members of the General Assembly introduced a package of bills designed to improve safety on Delaware's roadways. This week's podcast episode of Whip Count highlights Representative Frank Cooke’s HB 120 and how this bill will assist law enforcement in cracking down on reckless driving in Delaware.

On this episode of Whip Count, Rep. Cyndie Romer joins us to explain her HB 186, a measure that would reduce the number of children placed on the sex offender registry by empowering judges, in consultation with child psychologists and case workers, to decide whether a child should be included on the Registry. Wilmington resident Anthony Gibbs, who understands firsthand the harsh reality of being on the sexual offender registry as a youth, also joined us to discuss the negative unintended consequences that follow many of these kids into adulthood.

On this episode of Whip Count, we’re joined by Rep. Debra Heffernan, Rep. Sophie Phillips and Emily Knearl from the Nature Conservancy to talk about the Delaware Climate Solutions Act, a bold step toward tackling Climate Change here in the First State.

On this episode, Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton joins us to discuss her HB 62, legislation requiring properties to be assessed every five years. This would allow the state to be fairer in its taxation structure, ensuring that property owners finally have parity. You can find additional reassessment resources here: New Castle County: https://bit.ly/3Irf7yn Kent County: https://bit.ly/43ivB3Q Sussex County: https://bit.ly/3OqTkeh

On this episode of Whip Count, Rep. Paul Baumbach discusses measures that would put money in the pockets of working Delawareans by increasing the standard deduction and refundable Earned Income Tax Credit.

Recovery housing is an integral part of the recovery journey, providing transitional homes in a substance-free, supportive environment. However, here in Delaware, the lack of standards and regulations for these homes has created difficult and sometimes dangerous situations for individuals recovering from addiction and their families. On this episode of Whip Count, we talked to Rep. Kerri Evelyn Harris about her new bill, the Matthew D. Klosowski Act, which would create standards for recovery homes to become certified. Matthew's mother, Marybeth Cichocki also joined us to discuss her firsthand and tragic experience with an unregulated recovery home and how that experience led her to advocate for change.

Just before we gaveled out for the February Joint Finance Committee break, the House commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day with a resolution and an address from special guest David Meluskey of the World Jewish Congress. This episode of Whip Count features audio from that address as well as a conversation with all three Jewish members of the House, Rep. Debra Heffernan, Rep. Sophie Phillips, and Rep. Jeff Spiegelman as they reflect on what Holocaust Remembrance Day means to them.

Who are the new members in the House? On this episode of Whip Count we introduce you to Representatives Kerri Evelyn Harris, DeShanna Neal, Sophie Phillips, Cyndie Romer, and Stell Parker Selby. The newcomers were recently sworn in at the state capitol, as the 152nd Delaware General Assembly launched its new session. For these incoming lawmakers, it’s the beginning of a brand new road to rebuilding their communities, and working on critical issues that impact the entire state. What can you expect? Tune in now to hear what everyone had to say including their answers to some fun questions.

Delaware legislators continue work on criminal justice reform through legislation that would ensure clear and concise quarterly reports of an inmate's behavior. Under Rep. Larry Lambert’s HB 394, the Delaware Department of Correction would be required to provide copies of quarterly reports of good time credit earned or forfeited. Tune in to hear from the person who inspired the bill and legislators who support it.

Recognizing the ongoing challenges facing mothers and newborns, Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown introduces us to the 2022 Delaware Momnibus, a series of several bills, addressing issues impacting pregnant and postpartum persons and decreasing infant mortality. Minor-Brown explains how lawmakers and organizations are working together to tackle child and maternal mortality. She also talks about support for doulas, help for incarcerated pregnant persons, and incentives for new parents. Collectively, support as well as the series of bills would improve healthy outcomes for all families and infants throughout Delaware. Tune in now.

This week on Whip Count: The 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate explained, economic policies to help Delawareans become more resilient to inflation, and maintaining a strong and fair economy in the First State House Majority leader Valerie Longhurst provides listeners with an in-depth explanation of the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate and gives us a look into the bipartisan brainstorming sessions that lead to HB 360, historic legislation that would enable one-time direct payments of $300 to Delaware resident taxpayers. Rep. Paul Baumbach and Rep. Ed Osienski also joined us this week to discuss policies they’ve championed over the years that aim to economically empower the most vulnerable in our society and ensure every Delawarean has a fair shot at earning a decent living.

Delaware kids are dealing with an unprecedented mental health crisis, and to address it, Rep. Valerie Longhurst is encouraging more people to normalize conversations around mental illness so more students understand they are never alone. Annie Slease of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Delaware is committed to helping students as well by gaining access to the mental health resources they need to succeed. Learn how you can be a part of the mental health awareness effort and support legislation such as House Bill 301, which would establish a statewide mental health educational curriculum for K-12 students.

In February, lawmakers announced the formation of the Delaware Legislative Women's Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral coalition of legislators focused on advancing the shared interests of women. In this episode of Whip Count, the co-chairs of the caucus, Rep. Valerie Longhurst and Sen. Marie Pinkney, discuss the importance of coming together to advocate for change and the caucus's plan to address gender inequities in all facets of our society.

Approximately 5,000 Delaware children lack access to medical coverage due to their immigration status. For these children, a simple trip to the doctor for an illness or to get vaccinated is not a financially viable option. In this episode, Rep. Krista Griffith, Sen. Sarah McBride, and Yvette Santiago of Nemours discuss a new proposal that would ensure all Delaware children have access to the medical care they need when they need it. The Cover All Delaware Children Act would establish a state-run medical coverage program for children who are not otherwise covered, including children who are not documented.

People who have been incarcerated often encounter challenges that are very difficult to overcome, which makes it hard for them to build a stable future. Unfortunately, there is no “quick-fix” solution to employment, education, and entrepreneurship for formerly incarcerated people. However, legislation could help reduce a person’s chances of relapsing into criminal behavior through Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown’s Second Chances proposal. Haneef Salaam of the ACLU also weighed in with his personal experiences in the criminal justice system to highlight the importance of second chances for all. Tune in now.