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 …
State Rep: We must teach financial literacy in school
A Republican legislature has made it his mission to educate Delaware’s youth on finances. Rep. Jeff Hilovsky, R-Millsboro, has proposed a bill that would require public schools to teach financial literacy, which is essentially how to make smart decisions about money. “I’ve kind of taken this on as a badge of honor,” he said. Hilovsky said he has noticed his …
Your guide to Memorial Day weekend in Delaware
The unofficial beginning of summer is finally here, and the First State has plenty of events to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. While many will be soaking in the sunshine and warm weather on their favorite beach, several celebrations in Delaware remind folks of what the day is really about: honoring members of the military who gave their lives protecting the …
Delaware House passes bill to make EpiPens more affordable
The Delaware House unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday that would require Delaware insurance plans to cover epinephrine auto-injectors for everyone. Today in Delaware, epinephrine is only guaranteed to people 18 years or younger. If House Bill 54 passes the Senate, all Delawareans would be guaranteed at least one injector in the lowest tier of their insurance. The bill would …
Marijuana legalization bill passes House, sent to Senate
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 …
JFC asks for return on investment on educational spending
Several members of the Joint Finance Committee asked the Department of Education officials on Wednesday when and if they would ever see a return on the state’s investment in public education. Student achievement metrics like standardized test scores have fallen off a cliff over the past decade and the state still faces a teacher shortage. Education Secretary Mark Holodick and …
JFC: Department of Correction focuses on hiring more officers
S Staff retention in Delaware’s prison system was an important issue at Wednesday’s Joint Finance Committee budget hearing. Monroe Hudson, the commissioner of the Delaware Department of Correction, told Sen. Laura Sturgeon, a Democrat who represents the Greenville area, that he thinks the department has made progress since 2017. It now has 2,647 full-time employees, the most since at least …
Child care report: First State lacks affordable options
A new report from Rodel shows that First State families do not have adequate access to affordable child care. A coalition of advocacy groups – including Rodel, the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children, Delaware Readiness Teams and the First State Pre-K – conducted a survey with hundreds of Delaware families to gauge their feelings about child care …
Mini-Bond bill heads to Carney; pilot labor projects intact
Despite four attempts by Republicans to amend it, the mini-Bond bill was voted out of the House Thursday and will head to Gov. John Carney to be signed into law. Passing the bill usually is a routine matter, will add 17 projects to the state’s Bond and Capital Improvement fund. Nobody objected to that. What did draw a lot of …
Oaths of office open most diverse General Assembly ever
Delaware’s 152nd General Assembly officially began Tuesday, as Delaware’s 62 representatives and senators were sworn into office in what is the most diverse legislature yet. “We’re finally looking like Delaware’s population,” said Rep. DeShanna Neal, D-Wilmington. The first nonbinary and first Buddhist to serve in Delaware’s legislature, they are starting their first year in office. “One of the most amazing …