This story was originally published in August 2022. A committee assembled to draft plans for a potential expansion of Delawareâs state capitol building spent much of its Thursday meeting reiterating the tentative nature of its work. The committee was established after the General Assembly unanimously voted in 2021 to study and recommend a plan to address Legislative Hallâs technological, security …
Legislative Hall expansion far from a done deal
A committee assembled to draft plans for a potential expansion of Delawareâs state capitol building spent much of its Thursday meeting reiterating the tentative nature of its work. The committee was established after the General Assembly unanimously voted in 2021 to study and recommend a plan to address Legislative Hallâs technological, security and space needs. The group appears to have …
House committee OKs semi-automatic, under 21 purchase ban
Bills to ban semi-automatic firearms and restrict the purchase of guns by Delawareans 21 and older were released from a House committee Wednesday and will advance to the House floor for a vote. The hearing attracted a crowd of well over 100 concerned citizens on both sides of the issue, many of whom filled lawmakersâ seats in the House chamber. …
Medical privacy bill threatens parental rights, GOP reps say
All 15 Republican state representatives have taken a stand against a bill they say is designed to usurp parental authority. House Bill 400, sponsored by Rep. Krista Griffith, D-Fairfax, would allow dependents on insurance policies â adults and children â to receive âconfidential sensitive health care servicesâ without notifying the policyholder. The bill has been dubbed the âDelaware Patient Privacy …
Legislative Hall to reopen to the public
The leaders of the Delaware House of Representatives and Senate plan to open Legislative Hall to the public effective immediately, they said during a committee meeting Thursday. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf and Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Dave Sokola plan to announce the buildingâs opening later Thursday or Friday. âMy intent is open to building up, get …
GOP legislators file bill to ban transgender girls on womenâs teams
Two Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to prohibit Delaware students from playing on sports teams that do not correspond with the gender they were assigned at birth. Senate Bill 227, sponsored by Sen. Bryant Richardson, R-Seaford, and Rep. Tim Dukes, R-Laurel, would require students to play according to the biological gender indicated on their birth certificate or other government record …
Republican lawmakers to Carney: âEnd the mandates, restore normalityâ
Twelve Republican state representatives on Tuesday sent an open letter to Gov. John Carney asking that he reconsider mask mandates in state buildings and schools and stop advocating for COVID-19 booster shots. They encouraged the Democratic governor to promptly end all pandemic-related restrictions, return state workers to their normal places of employment, and ârestore normalityâ for all Delawareans. The legislators …
Republicans give Carneyâs $5 billion budget proposal a C+
Left to right: Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, House Minority Whip Tim Dukes, R-Laurel, Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown. House and Senate Republicans are generally pleased with Gov. John Carneyâs $5 billion proposed state budget but argue more should be done to return money to taxpayers given the stateâs rosy economic outlook. …
Republican legislators say it’s time to return to in-person hearings, session
They say between vaccination efforts and the 90,000 people who have had COVID-19, meetings can be held safely.
Republicans generally pleased with Carney’s budget, but want to see details
The legislators want to know more about state pay raises; a $770,000 program to help DelTech retain instructors; and the $3.6 million for police body cameras.