by Angela Andrews
The last day of session can end one of two ways – with little fanfare or with a bang! A bang is how the Delaware House of Representatives adjourned its session at the end of June, when Speaker Bob Gilligan stunned his colleagues by announcing that he planned to retire from legislative service and that this session would be his last.
Speaker Gilligan has the distinction of being the longest serving member in the history of the Delaware General Assembly, having served 40 consecutive years. Elected to office in 1972 at the age of 29, he has served as a member of the Joint Finance Committee and as minority Whip, minority Leader, majority leader and, finally, was elected Speaker in 2008. He's known for always starting session on time, exactly at 2 p.m.
The Speaker, who had filed papers to run for his 21st term, cited his desire to spend more time with his family, including his grandchildren, as the main reason for his retiring.
I've had the pleasure of meeting Speaker Gilligan a few times during my visits to Legislative Hall. The last time was in January of this year, right after his 70-40 party, celebrating his 70th birthday and his 40 years of legislative service. During our meeting, the Speaker spoke fondly of his family, including the upcoming summer arrival of a grandchild. It was clear that beyond serving in the legislature, his passion is his family.
Angela Andrews works in NCSL's Legislative Management program and serves as liaison to the Delaware General Assembly.
Comments