A ruling by the Delaware Superior Court that restricts early and absentee voting – a highly contentious aspect of the 2020 Presidential Election – has state leaders reacting on party lines. Judge Mark Conner ruled Friday in favor of former state attorney general Jane Brady’s suit that laws passed by the General Assembly – over objections that they were not …
Retirees to health insurance committee: Thank you.
A joint meeting of the House and Senate health committees only needed half the time it had allotted to listen to a proposal about changing state employee healthcare. Apparently mindful of the deluge of retirees who reacted angrily to news in 2022 that the state was moving retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan, the joint meeting planned to run from …
Committee wrestles with porn site content sent to minors
The discussion in a House committee Tuesday got testy in response to a bill that would hold porn websites liable for showing graphic content to minors. “You’re getting a little snippy, and I’m trying to support your legislation, but I can stop…would you prefer that?” said Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, after asking a series of clarifying questions to Rep. Mike …
Law would create funding for every school to have athletic trainer
Extracurriculars ruled the day in Wednesday’s House Education Committee meeting. House Bill 244, sponsored by Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would provide funding for every public high school in the state to have a full-time athletic trainer. The funding would be phased over the next three fiscal years. Both the state and local districts would allocate money for the athletic …
Republicans push bill to allow Delawareans to file ethics complaints
A proposed law that intends to hold state legislators accountable for unethical behavior was showcased in the second of a series of press conferences each Wednesday by the Republican Party. House Bill 261, sponsored by Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would establish the Office of Legislative Ethics for the General Assembly to ensure that valid allegations of wrongdoing by state …
Educator pay report gets mostly warm welcome from legislators
Delaware state senators and representatives didn’t revolt when they got their first bite at recommendations for higher educator pay that would cost the state hundreds of millions in coming years. But questions did arise in Thursday’s joint House And Senate Education committees meeting that lasted about 1 ¼ hours. They included concern about poorer districts’ ability to pay their 30% …
Another alcohol bill kicks off this year’s General Assembly
It’s 8 o’clock somewhere! That’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 …
Bills aim to OK alcohol home deliveries to modernize shopping
Lots of packages are arriving on the doorsteps of Delawareans. None are permitted to contain a certain adult beverage, and a group of state legislators say it’s time Delaware caught up with changes that happened elsewhere in the nation in the 20th Century and allowed it. Nearly 98% of Americans can have wine shipped to their homes, but in the …
Climate bill passes House after vote on two amendments
Rep. Rich Collins on Tuesday begged House Democrats to join him in opposing a bill that set greenhouse gas emission limits in Delaware. “I have begged you to stand up one time and not just take this direction that apparently is so overwhelmingly powerful in this chamber,” the Millsboro Republican said. “And I know I’ve lost. I tell you it’s …
DE Inspector general bill likely to wait ’til next year
With some state expenses, such as Medicaid, higher than expected for 2024, legislators who want to create a state office of inspector general plan to wait until next year to introduce a bill to do that. “[I]t does come with a fiscal note, to create a new agency does cost some money,” said Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin. “It’s not astronomical. …