smyrna marijuana

Marijuana laws come with price tag for 2 state departments

Jarek RutzGovernment, Headlines

This story has been updated to correct tax and licensing information. Marijuana ā€“ and the implications of its legalization in Delaware on certain state agencies ā€“ was part of the discussion in Wednesdayā€™s Joint Finance Committee hearings. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security is set to receive a little over $5 million of the total request is specifically in …

There's several alcohol-related bills circulating through the General Assembly this year. (Photo by Andreas M./Unsplash)

Another alcohol bill kicks off this yearā€™s General Assembly

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Itā€™s 8 oā€™clock somewhere! Thatā€™s what state senator Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, said with exuberance after a law expanding the hours of alcohol sales in Delaware garnered approval from her fellow legislators. House Bill 235, sponsored by Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, allows any individual or business with an alcoholic liquor license to sell at 8 a.m., an hour earlier than …

The PECC has been working over the past year on recommendations for pay adjustments for Delaware educators.

Educator pay raise proposals to get joint hearing Jan. 11

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delawareā€™s General Assembly will have its first public look and discussion about proposed educator pay raise recommendations next week. At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, the House and Senate education committees will come together to listen to a presentation on the final report from the Public Education Compensation Committee. Watch the meeting here. The 15-person compensation committee ā€“ made of …

Sen. Buckson said the 95% of good-behaving students should not be affected by the lack of discipline of the other 5%.

Buckson calls for accountability, discipline in schools

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education, Government

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. Sheraeā€™a Moore, D-Middletown, codifies the Equity Ombudsman program, which provides non-lawyer advocates to assist families.Ā  ā€œIn 2018 there was litigation against the state ā€¦ brought by the NAACP and …

A proposed law creates apprenticeship programs to encourage more Delawareans to become teachers.

Apprenticeship programs law aims to combat teacher shortage

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The most recent plan to attract teachers to Delaware schools was applauded in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. House Bill 138, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton and chair of the House Education Committee, addresses the ongoing national teacher shortage. The legislation establishes a new tool to recruit and retain educators through an apprenticeship pilot program.Ā  This model will build …

A new bill would make technical corrections to Delaware's paid leave program.

Paid leave hasnā€™t started, but changes already suggested

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Proposed laws shifting who deals with appeals to the stateā€™s new paid leave program, which starts in 2026 drew little comment in Wednesdayā€™s Senate Health and Social Services Committee meeting. Senate Bill 178, sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington and committee chair, makes technical changes to private plans under the Family and Medical Leave Program. The new program requires Delaware …

A bill dealing with protection for abortion providers passed the Senate Tuesday.

Allowing abortion workers to mask addresses OK’d by Senate

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

The Senate passed bills Tuesday pertaining to confidentiality for abortion providers, minority party representation on an emergency health committee and payouts for employment discrimination. Senate Bill 158, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Arden, focuses on confidentiality rights for medical providers.Ā  The bill allows anyone who is a reproductive health care services provider or employee to apply for participation in …

The Senate voted unanimously on almost every bill Thursday. (Pexels)

Senators unanimously agree on 14 of 15 bills Thursday

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

It was a day of unanimous votes for the Delaware Senate Thursday, with 14 of the 15 itemsĀ  passed without any ā€˜noā€™ votes. Sen. Darius Brown, D-Wilmington, was the only legislator to vote against House Substitute 1 for House Bill 34, a law that would require school boards from district and charter schools to hold public comment on each agenda …

The Public Education Compensation Committee will recommend a four-year timeline to increase teacher's starting salary. (Pexels)

Heated debate ends in vote to raise teacher pay over 4 years

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Defying the demands of theĀ  state teachers union, a committee formed to make recommendations on educator pay voted Monday to bring teacherā€™s starting salary to $60,000 over four years rather than three.Ā  The four-year plan will consist of a 2% salary increase and a flat dollar increase of $1,875 to the base salary for teachers, nurses and administrators each year …

Members of the House Education Committee agreed Wednesday about the importance of mentoring and literacy. (Unsplash)

Bill to foster mentoring in schools draws bipartisan support

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A bill that would establish a 17-person task force to focus on mentoring and improving literacy rates for Delawareā€™s youth unanimously passed the House Education Committee Wednesday.Ā  ā€œWe believe that the 18,222 children in charter schools across our state benefit not just from the educators in the building, but from the village that helps educate them,ā€ said Kendall Massett, executive …