medical debt

Bill to curb aggressive medical debt collection goes to House

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that seeks to stop aggressive tactics for collecting medical debt easily passed the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee meeting Tuesday. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos, D-Elsmere, would forbid a medical creditor or medical debt collector from arresting someone, forcing someone into court for being in contempt, foreclosing on someone’s property …

A bill requiring property reassessments every 5 years is on its way to Gov. Carney.

5-year property reassessment bill on way to Carney

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

After decades of no regular property assessments, all three Delaware counties likely will be required to conduct them every five years, after the current reassessment forced by a court order ends in 2025. House Bill 62, sponsored by Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, passed the Senate Tuesday. It would require counties to reassess real property values at least once every five …

SB 177 would remove the restriction of 5 commissioners of the same party on the Wilmington Housing Authority's board of commissioners.

Bill could stack Dems on Wilmington Housing Authority board

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

A bill that could sway the political power of the Wilmington Housing Authority is moving on after little discussion in the Senate Housing and Land Use Committee Tuesday.  Senate Bill 177, sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, D-Wilmington and committee chair, deals with the partisanship of the nine commissioners of the Wilmington Housing Authority.  If passed, more than five commissioners …

Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden charged with tax, firearm offenses in Delaware

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has been charged with two misdemeanor tax offenses and one felony firearm offense by the United States attorney for Delaware. Hunter Biden, who’s been the focus of a national uproar about his finances and the contents of his laptop, had agreed to enter a plea of guilty to the tax offenses and enter …

Special election District 37

4 bills awaiting their fate in legislature as session end nears

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Several bills that have been making their way through the legislature are still in limbo despite being passed by committees and either the Delaware Senate or House of Representatives earlier in the session. House Bill 80, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, D-New Castle, would require doula services to be covered by Medicaid starting Jan. 1, 2024. A doula provides support …

gender-affirming

Gender-affirming bill draws GOP criticism; action postponed

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill introduced Thursday adding protections for gender-affirming care in Delaware has drawn criticism from Republicans for the impact it would have on parental rights. House Bill 230, sponsored by Rep. Deshanna Neal, D-Elsmere, would protect medical providers in Delaware who provide gender-affirming care from being prosecuted by other states that ban the practice. Neal said in a statement Friday …

New Castle County Police are concerned about pop-up parties at county parks.

A pop-up party at a NCCo park? No way, police say

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

A post-midnight shooting at an illegal pop-up party at Glasgow Regional Park has led New Castle County Police to take “a proactive approach” on controlling parties at county parks. The party apparently involved people leaving a Newark hotel and deciding via Instagram to move to Glasgow Park, even though it was closed, according to Cpl. Michael McNasby, a spokesman for …

lgbtq

Spiegelman talks Nazis in opposing LGBTQ panic defense bill

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would ban the use of the LGBTQ panic defense in Delaware courts passed the state House Thursday,  but not before one representative brought up Jews and Nazi Germany. House Substitute 2 for House Bill 142, sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow, would not permit a defendant to claim they reacted violently when they realized that someone else …

Senate Bill 170 aims to evaluate the potential of offshore wind energy.

Senate passes offshore wind energy collaboration bill

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

The Senate passed seven bills Thursday, but two of them – one about offshore wind energy and one about tenant protections – received some resistance. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, requires the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to work with the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection to look into the viability of generating offshore wind …

housing

Bill to reduce mobile home rent seems headed to House

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would lower rent for people living in manufactured housing communities seems headed to the House floor. House Bill 212, sponsored by House Majority Leader Rep. Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, would prohibit manufactured home community owners from increasing rent by more than 5% each year and require community owners to submit annually to the The Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation …