Friends and neighbors,
Thanks again for the chance to provide a few updates on what I’ve been working on in the community and down in Dover. It’s very important to me for my constituents to feel like I am easy to reach and to know how to keep tabs on what I am working on for them. As always, don’t hesitate to email me at John.Walsh@state.de.us or my Legislative Aide, Caitlyn Gordon, at Caitlyn.Gordon@state.de.us. You can also call (302) 744-4163 and follow along on Facebook. Here are a few quick updates:
Local Road Work
Paving along Skyline Drive is set to start on Good Friday (March 30) and is scheduled to last 2-3 weeks, weather depending. This will affect the section running between Linden Hill Road and Grendon Drive.
Alzheimer’s screening event
Thank you to everyone who came out to participate in our Alzheimer’s screening at the Kirkwood Library a few weeks ago. I was proud to play a part alongside Rep. Kim Williams and the Alzheimer’s Foundation in providing a chance for residents in the area to get a free mental health and memory checkup. Whether you got a chance to stop by or not, please make sure to research your family history and get early screenings for Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other deadly diseases. Preventative care is so important and I look forward to bringing more opportunities like this one to the community in the future.
Share the Care Act and the AARP Caregiver award
I was recently announced as a recipient of the AARP Capitol Caregivers Award (rescheduled to April 19 due to snow). I am committed to doing right by our seniors and I think it is incumbent on all of us in the General Assembly to be active listeners and proactive problem solvers in tackling the challenges that seniors face. That commitment drives me each day in the Senate and is the motivation behind a bill I am currently drafting with my colleagues that would make it easier for trained home health aides to help family caregivers look after their loved ones (I published an op-ed along with Sen. Townsend in the News Journal on this issue last December). If you are interested in issues facing Delaware’s seniors, I hope you’ll join us in Leg Hall on April 19!
SB 101 and Animal Welfare Legislation
Currently, dogs and cats used for laboratory research and testing are often euthanized after research is concluded, regardless of the health of the animal. I think that’s wrong and I am looking to open up an avenue for some of these animals to be rescued with SB 101, a bill that would allow healthy dogs and cats to find forever homes after their research days are over. This way, research animals can live out the rest of their lives in peace, surrounded by a loving family. The House is planning to hold a committee hearing on SB 101 in Legislative Hall on March 21. Please reach out to your Representative to express your support for this bill!
I am also working with Sen. Stephanie Hansen on a couple of bills to update our laws on tethering and confinement for dogs and other pets kept outside. This winter was especially cold and we saw far too many cases of dogs being left outside in freezing temperatures. I think that, with some common sense updates to existing regulations, we can enact stiffer penalties for neglectful pet owners and help protect Delaware’s pets from the dangers of being tied up or caged in the cold.