Eight bills were discussed and passed through the Senate Thursday and are heading to Gov. John Carney’s desk for signature in what is the last week of the legislative session. Here’s what is set to become law: House Bill 65, also sponsored by Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred South, provides state employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, …
Senate passes $1.4 billion for capital improvement
The Senate has approved $1.4 billion in capital improvement projects, along with a bill that would ban the LGBTQ panic defense, and a bill that adds more funding for the suicide crisis hotline. Senate Bill 160, sponsored by Sen. Jack Walsh, D-Stanton, would allocate $1,409,448,938 to address capital improvement projects across the state through this year’s bond bill. Walsh said …
Seaford charter change in jeopardy after backlash
Seaford officials were planning on making what they thought was a simple change to the city charter, something that several other Delaware municipalities had already done. That change would allow someone who lives outside the city — but owns a business in Seaford that is registered through an LLC — to vote in municipal elections. The change needed to be …
Laws punishing child and financial abusers get Senate support
Three laws seeking to prevent and crack down on child and financial abuse garnered support in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. They also drew emotional testimonies from victims of abuse or individuals who have had abuse negatively affect their lives. House Bill 182, sponsored by Rep. Krista Griffith, D-Fairfax, changes child abuse in the third, second and first degree …
Feds award $44M for NCCo, Sussex shared-use trails
Multi-use trails to connect Newport with Wilmington and Georgetown with Lewes received $44 million in federal funding today. The Newport River Trail will get $23 million to construct a 2-mile path between Newport and the Jack A. Markell Trail on the Wilmington Riverfront. The Newport River Trail is part of New Castle County’s Connecting Communities initiative and will be a …
More paid leave bills, rent increase restrictions pass House
As the General Assembly is in its last week of session this week, the state House went into the late hours of Tuesday night with discussion around several bills addressing paid leave. House Bill 65, sponsored by Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred South, provides state employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of five days of …
Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act introduced
With only a week left in this year’s legislative session, a Seaford Republican plans to introduce a bill that would only allow trans athletes to participate in sports against players who match their biological sex. Sen. Bryant Richardson said he filed Senate Bill 191, which he dubbed the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act, because it is unfair to allow transgender …
Senate passes 5 environment bills, budget
On Tuesday, the Senate passed with five bills that relate to the environment, with Republicans offering some resistance, and a budget that had less opposition. House Bill 99, sponsored by Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred South, would require that Delaware meet certain emission reduction requirements, getting to zero net emissions by 2050, and create climate change officers within all nine …
Buckson calls for accountability, discipline in schools
A law establishing a statewide program that provides advocates to students and families facing educational inequity drew discussion in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Sherae’a Moore, D-Middletown, codifies the Equity Ombudsman program, which provides non-lawyer advocates to assist families. “In 2018 there was litigation against the state … brought by the NAACP and …
Democrats may elect a new speaker, GOP reps believe
A few Republicans have heard there’s a possibility that Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, plans on stepping down by the end of the week. Rep. Kevin Hensley, R-Odessa, said during a Zoom meeting with the Delaware GOP that there is speculation that a new speaker will be elected by Friday. “So the speculation, just keep in …