A Republican Delaware state Senate candidate has filed reports with the New Castle County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation alleging that she received death threats on Facebook. Brenda Mennella, a U.S. Army veteran and elementary school teacher running for the 9th Senate District, said she was shocked and upset that someone would threaten harm against her. In screenshots …
Senate to convene Monday to start removal of state auditor
The Delaware Senate will reconvene in a special session Monday to consider a resolution to initiate the removal of State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness, its Democratic leadership announced Thursday. Senate Republicans indicated a few hours after the announcement that they were opposed to the idea until her trial had run its course. The auditor’s was convicted of three misdemeanors including abuse …
Senate sends gun, abortion bills to Carney
Delaware’s Democrat-majority Senate on Tuesday sent several controversial bills to Gov. John Carney for his signature. Most of the topics seemed ripped from headlines. The gun bill would bar anyone under 21 from buying or owning a gun, as well as controlling a firearm or ammunition. The abortion bill will increase the number of health professionals who can perform an …
Senate passes budget bills topping $5 billion
The Delaware Senate on Tuesday passed 2023 budget bills including the largest state operating budget in Delaware’s history at $5.1 billion, reflecting a rise in spending of 6.9% in spending over the previous year. It also will increase Delaware’s Rainy Day Fund from $280 million to $316 million and the Budget Stabilization Fund from $287 million to $402 million. Both …
Senate OKs mail-in voting despite claims it violates Constitution
The Delaware Senate on Thursday passed a controversial bill to cement mail-in voting as an option for voters in all future elections. Senate Bill 320, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Ardens, passed 13 to 8 just before midnight with a last-minute amendment from Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover. “While vote by mail is particularly helpful for those who may find …
Mail-in, same-day registry election bills go to Senate floor
Election bills that would allow mail-in voting and registering at the polls both passed out of committee to the Senate floor Wednesday. Both would take effect as soon as the governor signs them, meaning they would be in effect for the 2022 primaries and general election. The two bills, House Substitute for 1 for House Bill 25 on same-day …
Bill banning use of gender for car insurance rates passes Senate
A lengthy and heated debate on the Senate floor Tuesday preceded the passage of a bill that would make it illegal for car insurers in Delaware to use gender as a factor when determining customers’ premiums. Senate Bill 231, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Talleyville, came at the recommendation of State Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro, who said in a …
Senate committee hears Fairness in Women’s Sports Act
A bill to require Delaware student-athletes to compete on athletic teams or in sports associated with their biological sex was the subject of a raucous Senate committee hearing Wednesday. Senate Bill 227 specifically aims to prohibit transgender girls — or girls who were born as boys — from playing on girls’ sports teams. Under the bill, cisgender female athletes, …
Bill to remove double registration requirement passes Senate
A bill to require Delaware cities and towns to use the state’s voter registration system for local elections passed in the State Senate Tuesday. Under Senate Bill 233, voters who live within town limits would be able to vote in municipal elections without having to register separately with both the state and the town. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tizzy …
Paid leave passes in Senate, heads to House
Paid family and medical leave in Delaware moved one step closer to becoming a reality Tuesday after the Senate passed a bill to create the program along party lines. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington North, will now advance to the House of Representatives. The Healthy Delaware Families Act would create a statewide insurance program to provide up …