Two laws restricting the presence of guns in school zones and election polling places passed the House and are headed to a Senate committee for debate. House Bill 201, sponsored by Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, aims to enable a police officer to act immediately when they see or suspect a person with a gun in …
State police may get special tags to mark 100th anniversaryÂ
A bill that would create a special license plate for the Delaware State Police to celebrate the division’s 100th anniversary was sent to the House floor Wednesday. House Bill 100, deliberately named for the anniversary, unanimously passed the House Administration Committee. The plates would be granted only to active Delaware State Police officers at the discretion of the Col. Melissa …
Legislators call for means testing for property tax creditsÂ
Calls to consider means testing before granting veteran and senior housing tax breaks shocked a legislative committee last month. Delaware’s secretary of finance doesn’t think an income-based means test for property tax breaks is likely. Even so, Rick Geisenberger did say that a means test based on property values not only could happen, but should. “Seniors get a lot of …
Report: Despite early childhood ed gains, some kids need help
Generally praising Delaware’s investments in early childhood education, a state panel also said “a tremendous number” of underserved children don’t have access to it because of a lack of teachers and the cost of childcare. That puts them at a disadvantage when they go to kindergarten, said the final report from the Delaware Early Childhood Advisory Committee. The teacher shortage …
Livestreaming of meetings seems set to stay at Leg Hall
As the Delaware General Assembly prepares to reconvene Tuesday for the start of its 152nd session, livestreaming of meetings seems set to stay. Nobody seems sure yet whether members of the House or Senate will be able to continue to vote remotely. After fighting the livestreaming of meetings for years, the General Assembly started doing that when the COVID-19 …
2022 Rewind: History favors Ramone, numbers favor Burns in Pike Creek race
This story was originally published in October 2022 A suburban New Castle County race for state House is turning into one of most hotly-contested battles of this year’s general election. Incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Ramone, who has been in office since 2009, faces Democrat Dr. Frank Burns for the South Pike Creek seat — one of the last held by Republicans in the …
2022 Rewind: Republican Party must change to win, leaders say
This story was originally published in November 2022. Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move …
ICYMI: Delaware GOP needs to change, leaders say
Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move in a more productive direction — one that …
Delaware GOP leaders: Party needs change to win
Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move in a more productive direction — one that …
Rep. Mike Ramone prevails in election recount
A recount in a northern Delaware state representative race confirmed the earlier reported results. Rep. Mike Ramone, R-Pike Creek, defeated Democrat Frank Burns by 41 votes in the recount — up from 35 votes in the earlier count. “One of the most important parts of our elections is the integrity of the system,” Ramone said. “I am proud to be …