From WHYY: Delaware Senate leader vows to end all nighters

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By Cris Barrish

Delaware’s General Assembly has an exhausting tradition. 

Lawmakers didn’t adjourn until after 8:30 a.m. on July 1, when lawmakers held an $816 million bond hostage to negotiations over raising the minimum wage. They debated as the sun was streaming into Legislative Hall even though the $4.3 billion general fund budget had been approved days earlier, and many thought they would finish by midnight.

In 2016, lawmakers labored until nearly 5:30 a.m., but they adjourned without passing the controversial cost-cutting general fund budget – and had to finish two days later.

Now David McBride, the Senate president pro tem, is pledging to end the annual all-nighter — at least in his chamber.

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McBride, a 76-year-old New Castle Democrat who has been in office for four decades, said he’s tired of having night turn into day while lawmakers try to hammer out the bills needed to keep the government running when the fiscal year starts July 1.

Click on the headline below for the full story from WHYY.

Delaware Senate leader pledges end to the annual all-nighters to pass budget

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