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Lawmakers react to Gov. Carney's State of the State

Delaware Public Media

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle heard things they liked in Gov. Carney’s State of the State address, but some proposals face pushback.

 

Carney’s approach to gun legislation in his address drew a mixed reaction.

The governor's support of a measure to address ‘ghost guns’ – hard to trace weapons that lack serial numbers or are created with parts from 3-D printers – found support on both sides of the aisle.

“This is an area where convicted felons are going and trying to get guns because ethey can’ go and get them at a normal gun store.  I think it’s a big bill and its an important bill," said House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth).  "And once you take the emotion out of it – and the Second Amendment argument out of it – I think you can understand why it’s important."

And while some GOP lawmakers, such as State Senator Ernie Lopez (R-Lewes) also support the ghost gun bill, they don’t see Carney’s push to restrict high capacity magazines going anywhere, even though the governor left another bill banning assault weapons out of his speech.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a trade-off.  I just don’t. I think the ghost guns is a step in the right direction.  I don’t see any other deal-making taking place,” Lopez said.

House Minority Leader Daniel Short (R-Seaford) adds he would like the focus be on the “criminal element" in the state rather than guns, adding GOP lawmakers will be introducing a new measure to reintroduce the death penalty next week.  

Short also weighed in on Carney's call to fund construction of a new school in Wilmington and renovation of two others. While there is consensus that the funding proposed is needed,  Short argues there’s also school building needs downstate.

“I think there’s an equal need up and down the state," said Short. "And probably some school [districts] like Indian River who has repeatedly tried to pass referendum are saying ‘Why not me? - and I don’t blame them.”

Other Carney proposals, like waiving tuition at Delaware Tech, Delaware State University and the University of Delaware for kids aging out of foster care received largely positive reactions.

“They’ve been dealt a bad blow at the beginning, their whole life growing up.  And the blows just keep coming and after a while you just give up," said Democratic House Speaker Pete Schawartzkopf. "This is an attempt to take these kids that age out of foster care and keep them going, and give them a break so they can go to college and they can do something with their life.”

Schwartzkopf adds he’s not concerned about the cost of the foster care tuition proposal – saying it’s the right thing to do.

Lopez says the good news is Delaware’s fiscal health is in a place that these needs and proposals, along with new Family Courthouses in Kent and Sussex Counties and Carney's Clean Water Trust Fund, can be considered.  He specifically points to being able to pay for the Clean Water Trust Fund without any kind of tax increase.

"The biggest takeaway for Delaware taxpayers, if they paid attention to today's speech by the governor, is that their tax dollars are really being put to good use," said Lopez.

 

Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.