Delaware General Assembly

This Act makes security expenses an authorized campaign expenditure. The security expenses must be: (1) related to ensuring the safety of the candidate; and (2) associated with the candidate’s activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected official. Security expenses include home or office electronic security systems, personal security, and other security-related equipment or devices for a candidate. Security expenses may not be used to purchase firearms. This Act requires that the Commissioner promulgate rules to implement this Act within 3 months.

While the exact number of nurse vacancies in Delaware fluctuates, healthcare providers agree that the current shortage is unsustainable. Nursing shortages lead to missed nursing care, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) outlines a number of contributing factors impacting the current national nursing shortage. One is a lack of nursing school faculty - including the preceptors that provide supervision and instruction for clinical practice. Since Delaware’s nursing education programs must require clinical learning experiences provided by these preceptors, nursing students have difficulty completing the required coursework necessary for degree and licensure. Section 1 of this Act provides for an annual appropriation in an amount determined by the General Assembly to the Delaware Nursing Workforce Initiative or similar nonprofit to administer a program to provide funding to hospitals and clinical facilities to implement or continue offering preceptorship programs. Section 2 provides that this Act is effective 6 months after enactment.

This Act clarifies portions of Chapter 84 of Title 21 of the Delaware Code pertaining to new recreational vehicle, vessel, or new recreational trailer manufacturer-dealer agreements. The Act includes the following provisions: Definitions. The Act amends § 8401 of Title 21 and clarifies the definitions of "new recreational trailer" and "new recreational vehicle" and adds definitions of "all-terrain vehicle," "off-highway vehicle," "side-by-side vehicle," and "vessel." Written agreements. Manufacturers are required to specify in writing to their new recreational vehicle dealers licensed in the state the dealers' obligations for pre-delivery preparation, manufacturer-sponsored maintenance programs, manufacturer extended warranty, certified pre-owned warranty, manufacturer-issued service contracts, parts exchange programs, recall, and warranted service on the dealers' products. In addition, manufacturers must compensate their new recreational vehicle dealers for these services and provide the dealers with a schedule of compensation and the time allowances for the performance of the work and services. Termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, or alteration of a dealership. In the event a new recreational vehicle dealer terminates, cancels, or fails to renew a manufacturer-dealer agreement for good cause, and the manufacturer fails to cure the deficiencies, at the new recreational vehicle dealer's election and within 45 days of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal, the manufacturer must, in addition to its existing obligations, compensate the dealer for any transporting, handling, packing, storing, and loading of any returned parts, tools, and equipment. Warranty obligations. With respect to parts reimbursement, reasonable compensation to a new recreational vehicle dealer may not be less than the rate charged by the dealer for like services to nonwarranty customers for nonwarranty parts, service, or actual wholesale cost, plus a minimum 40% handling and the cost of any freight to return the warranty parts to the warrantor. A new recreational vehicle dealer must notify the warrantor within 180 days if it is unable to perform any warranty repairs. In addition, a schedule of compensation for warranty services must include reasonable compensation for diagnostic work, parts, repair service, and labor. Time allowances for the diagnosis and performance of warranty work and services must be reasonable and adequate. With respect to manufacturer-sponsored maintenance programs, manufacturer extended warranty, certified pre-owned warranty, manufacturer-issued service contracts, parts exchange programs, recall and warranty parts, and labor reimbursement, reasonable compensation may not be less than the rate charged by the dealer for like service to non-warranty customers for nonwarranty parts, services, and repairs. If a manufacturer furnishes a part of a component to a dealer at no or a reduced cost, the manufacturer must compensate the dealer in the same manner as warranty parts compensation, less the dealer cost for the part or component as listed in the manufacturer's price schedule. Association standing. An association that has at least 4 recreational vehicle dealers as members, substantially all of whom are new recreational vehicle dealers within the State, and that represents the collective interests of its members, has standing to file a petition or civil action against a manufacturer regulated under this chapter for itself or on behalf of any or all of its members. Such an association also has standing to intervene in an action against a manufacturer regulated under this chapter previously filed by an individual member or members of the association to enforce the provisions of this chapter. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act allows tenants who are being evicted for failure to pay rent to remain in their homes if they pay all amounts owed prior to being evicted. It also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Drafting Manual. This Substitute differs from the original Act by incorporating the changes from Senate Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 116 which includes the following changes: - Increased the time from 12 to 24 months for the lookback period for restricting the number of times the right of redemption is available to a tenant. - Puts a requirement to proactively file with the court a request for a stay of the writ if payment is made after the writ of possession has been posted. - Makes clear that payment after posting of the writ only stays the writ until the payment has cleared and dismissal is not required until such time. This Substitute also adds the following changes based on further input from stakeholders: - Makes it clear that this Act only applies to evictions based on failure to pay rent. - Clarifies that any rent that is due under the terms of the lease must also be paid, in addition to any demanded past due and per diem rent, for redemption to apply. - Adds language that the landlord may restrict any payments to methods accepted under the terms of the lease, and the landlord may further restrict any payments made after judgment is entered to certified checks or money orders.

House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 407, like the original, does all of the following: clarifies the ability of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to respond to emergent situations, expands the jurisdiction from which DNREC may file to recover costs, and makes certain changes to amounts deposited into the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act Fund. Section 1 provides definitions for “Abate,” “Emergency,” and “Removal Action.” Section 2 clarifies the ability of the Secretary or their authorized employees or agents to determine if an emergency exists and take immediate action to abate the emergency without obtaining public comment. Section 3 allows the Department to authorize removal actions to address releases without first obtaining public comment, and to incorporate the removal action into any proposed plan of remedial action by DNREC. Section 4 expands the jurisdiction of the courts which DNREC may bring enforcement actions and recover costs. Section 5 increases the civil penalty for each fraudulent act from up to $10,000 to $40,000. Section 6 extends the end date from January 1, 2029, to January 1, 2037, for monies to be deposited into the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act Fund (the “Fund.”) Section 7 provides the effective date of this legislation. This Substitute differs from the original House Bill No. 407 in that it removes references to the realty transfer tax.