Saturday, January 05, 2008

Legislative Update

My alternate title was, "The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly." So here goes:

1. House 7018- a referendum placing the Lt. Guv. in charge when the Guv is gone. Duh.

2. House 7013 - Rep. Rice is a sponsor on this one submiting teacher & non-teacher school contracts to binding arbitration on all matters. It will be interesting watching the progress of this one. If it fails then what is happening in Tiverton will happen to every town/city in the State.

3. House 7017- This is an interesting one supporting a federal House bill establishing a Dept. of Peace & Non-violence. I'm hoping that it doesn't die a slow death. Peace.

4. House 7021 & 7020 - two interesting bills. One repeals inheritance tax on estates worth less than a million (that can hit the middle class, what's left of them). The other one I will call the Rich Kids Need their Money & repeals the inheritance tax for estates worth more. In a low State income year, this will die. Think it's all Republicans sponsoring these? You'd be wrong.

5. House 7024- It's ba-a-a-ck. Here's a goody. English becomes our "official language." Now which version would this be? It's taken me years to understand the various New England dialects & idioms. Half Dems & half Republicans are sponsors. Would this make stores displaying signs, "Falamos Portugues" illegal? Click here for R.I. Law Journal LOL's on this one.

6. House 7024- Same sponsors as above. If you have anything to do with an illegal immigrant, you are subject to execution. Even for saying hello. You will then be ground up & inserted in a meat pie which the State will sell for a profit along with lottery tickets. There is singing involved upon your purchase of these pies. Remember, the State is funding-challenged.
I may have exaggerated just a tad here. These ''invisible" people in our District are the ones who serve you in stores/restaurants, mow your lawns, and attend your churches. They pay taxes, have kids (with no medical insurance), sitting next to yours in school and have the audacity to want to work hard so that they & their kids have a better future. I believe that it's a federal problem with a federal solution.

7. House 7034- closes polls at 8 p.m. instead of 9. Why? Mostly Dems sponsoring this one. In this State, it's hard to tell someone's Party without a scorecard. Hardly need Republicans at all.

8. House 7040 & Senate 2009- 24 hr. operation of two casinos.

9. House 7042 & 7043- reimbursement for school districts bussing outside of district or extraordinary expenses. Five Republican sponsors including Long & Coty. Five Republican sponsors. They didn't even try for bi-partisan support. Hey, we can run on this one next time.

10. House 7049- Allows any health are professional to refuse patients treatments/services based on their personal beliefs. Hey, I'm a believer in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I refuse to serve anyone spaghetti & meatballs even though I work in an Italian restaurant. It's like, you know, against my beliefs. You gotta problem with that?
All Dems on this one. Like I said before- you need a scorecard.

11. Senate 2004- limits bank overdraft fees to $5. Yahoo! Enough of this gouging.

12. House 7029- interesting. A 15 member House commission to look into the Lifespan/Care New England merger with a March 18 deadline to report.

I have not covered everything, just hit some of the highlights & what struck my fancy. Sen. Paiva-Weed offered some resolutions regarding a death & illness while Sen. Levesque sponsored a marriage solemnzation. Nothing from Sen. Gibbs. Somebody give her something. Don't make it too complicated or important, though. Sometimes she has trouble making up her mind and sometimes her vote just doesn't count. Hey, those aren't my words.

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