senators hecklers Gov. John Carney State of the State

GOP senators: Hecklers, smirking legislators ’embarrassment’

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Republican senators said Tuesday they were disappointed at the hecklers interrupting Gov. John Carney’s last State of the State speechĀ  — and even more disappointed in the members of the legislature smirking during the heckling. A video shows the first heckler, a woman in the gallery wearing a pink hajib, start shouting and asking for a moment of silence. As …

DEFAC Medicaid State taxes budget

Delaware seems destined to have hard budget choices next year

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Delaware budget forecasts show that revenues and expenditures for 2025 are running at almost the same level as this year, which had a budget of $6.1 billion. Even so, Dover politicians may have to scramble to figure out how to accommodate an additional $400 million in expenses for 2025. That’s what Cerron Cade, director of the state Office of Budget …

wilmington parking tickets

Wilmington to send parking tickets to court, end city review

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

An organization pushing reform of Wilmington’s parking fine practices praised the city’s move to abandon its administrative appeals process and send appeals directly to court. “This is a significant step in the right direction,” said Ken Grant on behalf of the Wilmington Fines and Fees Justice Team. “After years of hearing about issues with the city’s administrative process for parking …

police dog K-9

Police dogs to receive more state benefits when working, retired

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

  Working and retired police dogs will have extra care and services paid for by the state now that two Republican bills have been signed into law. Both received wide bipartisan support, passing the General Assembly unanimously. One bill signed Thursday by Gov. John Carney allows working police dogs to be transported by paramedics and other emergency medical service providers. …

charging stations

Deldot seeks bids to build electric charging stations

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

The Delaware Department of Transportation is now accepting bids for the construction, operation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations along Route 13, Route 113, Route 1 and Interstate 95. The new direct-current charging stations must be located within one mile of these roads with no more than 50 miles between each location, theĀ Deldot press release said. The stateā€™s primary …

emergency order

Carney to end public health emergency order in May

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

  Playing follow the leader, Gov. John Carney announced Tuesday he will end the State of Delaware’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order on May 11. That will coincide with the plans ofĀ President Joe Biden, who announced months ago that he would end the national public health emergency May 11. ā€œConsistent with the ending of the federal public health emergency, and …

Legislature may declare National Atheist Day

House resolution would declare Atheist Day in Delaware

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

  A recently circulated General Assembly resolution would designate March 23 as National Atheist Day in Delaware. Sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow and Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, the resolution doesnā€™t yet have a bill number. Efforts were not successful to reach Morrison for comment. Sturgeon said she grew up and remains Catholic, but believes in philosopher SĆøren Kierkegaardā€™s leap …

Child care 6

Kent, Sussex child care centers may get higher Del. payments

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would force the state to pay Kent and Sussex County child care programs the same fees that it pays New Castle ones seems headed to the Senate floor. No one spoke against Senate Bill 59, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Arden, when it came up Wednesday in the Senate Health & Social Services Committee. Gay said …

Osienski marijuana

Marijuana legalization bill passes House, sent to Senate

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

The Delaware House of Representatives on Tuesday once again sent a bill to legalize the use of marijuana in the First State to the Senate, this time on a 28 to 13 vote. House Bill 1 is sponsored yet again by Rep. Edward Osienski, D-Newark, who managed to get a similar bill passed last year, only to see it vetoed …

bar exam Delaware bar exam

State bar exam to be twice a year; passing grade dropped

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Delaware will begin offering the bar exam for lawyers twice a year and will drop the passing score by two points as well as reduce the number of essays, length of clerkships and number of proceedings a candidate must attend before testing. The changes were adopted after a two-year study by the Delaware Board of Examiners and recommendations for reform …