Legislative Priority: Focusing on Key Issues

BY TYLER MICIK

AT THE TIME of writing, the General Assembly is currently on spring recess. They return to session on April 16. Upon returning, they’ll have only 21 session days to act on any bills they hope to get passed. There are plenty of bills of which the State Chamber is engaged on, such as HB 249: Permitting fees; HB 248: Pre-permit outreach in underserved communities; HB 17: Paid sick and safety leave; HS 1 for HB 350: Diamond state hospital cost review board; and SB 233: Service worker protection act, among others.

The State Chamber will continue to advocate for our members on these issues and update you as these items are acted upon. To members of the General Assembly, the State Chamber looks forward to continuing to work with you to achieve our shared success. In that spirit, we offer the following thoughts on some key issues of importance to our members.

Permitting Fees

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is seeking additional revenues through the permitting fees bill, to help fund the department. The State Chamber cannot support a proposal to increase fees until significant changes are made to improve the speed, predictability, and transparency of the permit approval process. Companies make substantial investments to improve their technologies and ensure they’re good stewards of the environment and communities they serve. However, they are still experiencing slowness and delays regarding project timelines and approvals when working with DNREC.

Furthermore, we acknowledge that DNREC’s costs may have increased, and some permitting programs need additional resources. DNREC has not provided any fiscal analysis to support or quantify the need for fee increases – which would apply to many businesses throughout the state, both small and large, that require permit renewals. Unlike the private sector where consumers have choices, businesses do not. Over the next couple weeks, the State Chamber will provide the General Assembly with legislative and regulatory reform recommendations that will address permitting and the fees bill. Our hope is that these recommendations will result in positive environmental and economic development outcomes.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a top concern amongst our members and is a very challenging issue for an organization as diverse as the State Chamber. However, any proposal that addresses the concerns of payers, such as HS 1 for HB 350, should include healthcare defined more broadly. Our members and their employees make regular use of doctor visits, drugs, pay insurance premiums, make hospital visits, use rehabilitation services, and so on.

From the perspective of payers, the entirety of this is complicated and includes federal and state programs they have limited knowledge of. For small manufacturers, accounting firms, building contractors, and retailers, among others, healthcare is a benefit they provide their workforce, not something they are experts on. This is a complicated puzzle, and while we understand the underlying premise behind the proposal, we do not think this is the right solution.

The State Chamber will continue to engage on these issues and many others before the 152nd General Assembly adjourns on June 30. To find out more about these issues or stay up to date on all the State Chamber is engaged on please contact me at tmicik@dscc.com.