Posts Tagged ‘delaware general assembly’
Capital Budget, Numerous Other Bills Go To Gov. Carney
Delaware’s largest-ever capital budget, known as the bond bill, has passed the General Assembly. The Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Budget (Senate Bill 200) spends $1.3-billion on transportation, school construction, courthouses and other various projects across the state. Money is also allocated to libraries, state building renovations, college campus improvements, clean water projects and state parks.…
Read MoreBill To Tighten Plastic Bag Ban Moves Forward
Delaware lawmakers are strengthening the near-prohibition on single-use plastic bags that took effect at the start of the year. The House approved a bill Wednesday (House Bill 212) that would close a loophole in which many larger stores or chains introduced slightly thicker plastic bags touted as reusable. The new legislation defines a reusable bag…
Read MoreUpdate: FY ’22 Budget Approved, Sent To Gov. Carney
Update as of Thursday, June 24th: The Delaware Fiscal Year 2022 budget is on its way to Governor John Carney for his signature. The Senate Thursday approved an operating budget of 4.77-billion dollars, one day after House approval. Also, the Senate passed a 221-million dollar supplemental measure with one-time expenditures. “This year’s budget process highlights…
Read MoreRally Shows Support For Changes To Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill Of rights
A bill to overhaul the Delaware Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights got support Wednesday at a rally outside of Legislative Hall. Senate Bill 149 would disclose police disciplinary records to the public, and would allow for creation of community review boards that could hear and decide police disciplinary measures. The Delaware Police Accountability NOW…
Read MoreUpdate: Amended Bill To Restrict Magazines Approved In House
Update: Legislation to restrict large-capacity magazines and revise criminal statutes outlined in the original bill has passed in amended form in the House of Representatives. Magazine capacity would now be limited to 20 rounds for a handgun and 30 rounds for a long gun. Also, the crime of ‘selling, purchasing, receiving or transferring a large-capacity…
Read MoreMore Criminal Justice – Police Reform Bills Pass Del. House
Three more criminal justice and police-reform measures have passed in the House of Representatives, two of which developed out of last year’s Delaware Legislative Black Caucus Justice for All Agenda. Law enforcement would be required to electronically record any custodial interrogations involving an adult accused of a crime or a juvenile accused of an delinquent…
Read MoreDel. House Passes Minimum Wage Increase
After a series of failed amendments, the Delaware House of Representatives Thursday gave final legislative approval to an increase in Delaware’s minimum wage, to be phased in over several years until it reaches $15 an hour in 2025. The vote on Senate Bill 15 was 26-15. The minimum wage would rise to $10.50 per hour…
Read MoreDel. Bill Establishes Guidelines For Use Of Opioid Impact Fee
Del. Bill Supports Collective Bargaining For Delmar Police
Delmar Police deserve an opportunity to collectively bargain for better pay and safer working conditions, according to the sponsor of legislation that would clear the way for them to unionize. A bill introduced in the State Senate (SB 181) would clarify that the Town of Delmar is a public employer under the Delaware Police Officers…
Read MoreState Senate Approves Use-Of-Force Revisions
Delaware’s first ‘objective use of force’ standard for police officers is a step closer to becoming law. The State Senate Thursday voted 14-7 to approve a bill (SB 147) that would stipulate that the use of deadly and non-lethal force would be legally justifiable only if its use is determined to be reasonable. The word…
Read MoreVoting Amendment Falls Short In Del. House
A vote of 25 yes, 14 no was not enough in the Delaware House of Representatives to pass the second leg of a Constitutional Amendment that would have eliminated limitation as to when a person could vote by absentee ballot. The same bill passed 38-3 in the previous Delaware General Assembly. A two-thirds majority in…
Read MoreMarijuana Legislation Pulled From Thursday House Agenda
A bill that would permit adult recreational use of marijuana in Delaware and regulate production and sale of marijuana has been pulled from Thursday’s House agenda. The lead sponsor, Representative Ed Osienski, D-Newark, said just hours before the session that he and other lawmakers have filed several amendments in recent days that would make significant…
Read MoreDel. Legislation Addresses “Eviction Crisis”
Elementary School Mental Health Services Could Get A Boost
Improved mental health services in Delaware elementary schools is the goal of legislation approved in the House of Representatives. House Bill 100 would provide resources to allow elementary schools to hire a full time school counselor, social worker or licensed clinical worker for every 250 students. They would also be able to hire a full-time…
Read MoreSenate Votes To Repeal Training – Youth Wage
A youth and training wage that’s below Delaware’s minimum wage is a step closer to repeal. The State Senate Tuesday passed a bill (House Bill 88) 13-8 that sponsors said would ‘restore fairness and equity to Delaware’s labor code.’ The special wage was negotiated during an all-night session of the General Assembly three years ago…
Read MoreLawmaker: Don’t Use Vax Status To Deny Services, Rights
A person’s COVID-19 vaccination status could not be used as a basis for denial of rights and services, under a bill introduced in the Delaware General Assembly. Representative Rich Collins, R-Millsboro said Thursday that people who may not want to be vaccinated due to religious objections or or other reasons have rights equal to those…
Read MoreDel. Plastic Bag Ban Loophole Addressed In New Bill
What’s called a loophole in Delaware’s five-month old ban on single-use plastic bags at many establishments would be addressed under a measure filed in the Delaware General Assembly. Some stores, in doing away with the thinner plastic bags, introduced slightly thicker plastic bags for customers. Now, Representatives Gerald Brady, D-Wilmington and Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow along…
Read MoreDel. GOP Lawmakers Propose Tax Relief Measures
Some Delaware lawmakers are proposing that the state share a portion of its growing revenues with Delaware taxpayers. The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council recently calculated that state revenues have grown by $429.3- million in the last two months, and projections show revenue growth is expected to stay strong. Representative Rich Collins, R-Millsboro has…
Read MoreDel. Bill Would Mandate Recordings Of Police Interrogations
Recordings of police interrogations of adult criminal suspects or juveniles involved in a delinquent act would be required under House Bill 215 that has been introduced in the Delaware House of Representatives. The requirement is seen as a way to increase transparency and accountability when a suspect is being questioned. The measure is part of…
Read MoreDel. Senate Advances Black History Requirement In Schools
The State Senate has given final legislative approval to a bill that would require Delaware school districts and charter schools to teach Black history beginning in the 2022-23 academic year. Sponsors contended that the lessons encouraged under House Bill 198 would be used to provide an education to all students on the Black Experience in…
Read MoreDel. One Step Closer To Banning “Ghost Guns”
By a vote of 23-18, the Delaware House of Representatives has passed a bill that would outlaw possession and manufacturing of what are known as “ghost guns”- firearms made with untraceable components sometimes sold as kits. House Bill 125 was sponsored by House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D- Bear. Supporters of the measure cited reports…
Read MoreGeorgetown Company Could Be Impacted By Large-Capacity Magazine Ban
A Delaware bill to outlaw large capacity magazines with more than 17 rounds of ammunition could be amended in the House. According to Representative Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, she was contacted by the owner of Atlantis Industries Corporation in Georgetown, a maker of firearms components that exceed the proposed cap on magazine size. Briggs King…
Read MoreDel. Bill Would End Incarceration Of Juveniles In Adult Prisons
Delaware would stop incarcerating juvenile offenders in adult prisons, under a bill given approval in the State Senate Tuesday. The measure would require any juvenile sentenced to prison in Superior Court to be held in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families until they reach age 18. Juveniles as…
Read MoreDel. Primary Date Could Shift
Delaware’s state primary elections would be held the same day as the presidential primary in April, under a bill approved in the House of Representatives Tuesday. The change would take effect with the 2024 presidential election year. The state primaries in non-presidential election years starting in 2026 would move to that same Tuesday in April.…
Read MoreDel. Bill Would Expand Virtual Meeting Option
Delaware cities and towns, boards of education, commissions and other public bodies would have the option of conducting their meetings virtually beyond the COVID-19 State of Emergency, under a bill approved in the State Senate. Rules would also be established to ensure that online meetings are in compliance with the Delaware Freedom of Information Act,…
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