Delaware hospitals have agreed to fork over a 3.58% tax on patient revenues so the state can qualify for another $100 million more in federal Medicaid funding. The deal they agreed to will help expand Medicaid programs at a time when state officials have sounded alarms about the $2 billion — and rising — cost of healthcare to the state. …
Paid leave hasn’t started, but changes already suggested
Proposed laws shifting who deals with appeals to the state’s new paid leave program, which starts in 2026 drew little comment in Wednesday’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 …
Bill promises officer families death benefits after suicide
A bill that establishes suicide as a line-of-duty death, allowing families of the deceased to receive receive benefits, passed the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Tuesday. Delaware law now does not list suicide as a line-of-duty death that would enable an officer’s family to file for benefits. House Bill 133, sponsored by Rep. Sherry Dorsey-Walker, D-Wilmington, makes clear …
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 …
DOE owns lead testing blunder, expects new results by May
A Senate committee hearing Tuesday heard the state Secretary of Education apologize about the way lead testing in schools was handled and that trained pros will handle testing instead of school staff. Through a federal grant, the Department of Education began a sampling initiative in October, 2020 to identify the levels of lead within drinking water at schools. “While well-intentioned, …
A tale of two bills: Paid leave and pot
One became the law of the land. The other went up in smoke. Both involved years of planning, hundreds of meetings, thousands of stakeholder discussions and countless compromises. The difference? One bill had the support of Gov. John Carney — the other didn’t. With his signature, the Healthy Delaware Families Act became the 151st General Assembly’s big winner, while his …
Bill OKing medical marijuana patients owning guns heads to Senate floor
A bill that would allow medical marijuana patients to obtain a firearm will head to the Senate floor. The bill, which passed the House on June 14, continued to draw strong public support before it was passed 6-0 by the Senate Health and Social Services Committee Wednesday. Under House Bill 276, a patient registered in Delaware’s medical marijuana program would …
Paid family and medical leave ‘the law of the land’ in Delaware
Rep. Debra Heffernan, the bill’s House sponsor, holds SS1 for SB 1 after it was signed by Gov. John Carney Tuesday. (Charlie Megginson/Delaware LIVE News) Delaware has become the 11th state to offer a paid family and medical leave program to new parents, caregivers, and those with serious illnesses. Flanked by lawmakers and activists, Gov. John Carney on Tuesday signed …
Paid leave bill heads to Carney for signature
Photo/Kristina Paukshtite, Pexels The bill to create a paid family and medical leave program in Delaware passed in the House of Representatives Thursday by a margin of 29 to 11. Three Republicans, Reps. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, Kevin Hensley, R-Odessa, and Mike Ramone, R-Hockessin, voted in favor of the legislation. Because the House voted to add an amendment, the bill …
Paid leave bill to be walked through House committee
The Healthy Delaware Families Act is expected to proceed to the House Appropriations Committee despite not receiving the requisite number of votes in the House Health and Human Development Committee Wednesday. Photo/Getty Images. The bill to create a statewide paid family and medical leave program faced a slight hiccup on its journey to becoming law Wednesday. The Healthy Delaware Families …