HB 294 Delaware House · 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026)

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 21 AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO A DESIGNATED PARKING SPACE FOR PREGNANT PERSONS AT STATE BUILDINGS.

Summary
This Act provides that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget must designate 1 or more reserved parking spaces for pregnant persons at certain designated state buildings and facilities. It also prohibits stopping, standing, or parking in the pregnant person’s space. Violations of this Act are exempted from the civil penalty for parking violations that exists in Title 21. This Act takes effect 6 months after its enactment into law. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Mar 5, 2026 Signed Jun 24, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HA 1 to HB 294 Bill Text · 7 edits
MODERATE
The final version of HB 294 removes the distinction between state-owned and leased facilities (making designation mandatory at all listed locations regardless of ownership), adds a new prohibition on parking in reserved pregnant-person spaces, exempts violations from the standard civil parking penalty, drops the 'encouraged' language for future facilities, and sets a 6-month effective date. The bill also expands its co-sponsor list significantly.
SCOPE

Removed the distinction between state-owned locations (where designation was required) and leased locations (where the Director was only 'encouraged' to work with the lessor). The final bill simply requires designation at all 23 listed locations without an ownership-based exception.

Removed the 'encouraged' provision that directed the Director to consider designating reserved parking spaces at future state-owned and leased facilities where feasible.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new prohibition in Title 21, Section 4179(e) paragraph (20) that no person may stop, stand, or park in a designated pregnant-person parking space unless they are the person or class of persons for whom it is reserved.

Added paragraph (21) prohibiting blocking access to or ingress/egress from the reserved parking spaces.

Added a provision stating that violations of paragraphs (20) and (21) are NOT subject to the civil penalty under Section 4178, meaning there is no monetary fine for blocking these spaces despite the prohibition.

TIMELINE

Added a 6-month effective date after enactment into law.

TECHNICAL

Made technical corrections conforming to the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including renumbering paragraphs and correcting formatting in Section 4179(e).

Floor votes · Senate Jun 16, 2026 · House May 7, 2026

How they voted

210
Passed
Total votes 21
Jun 16, 2026
D Democratic15
15 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican6
6 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
6
Committee
2
Amendments
2
Jun 24, 2026
Signed into law
Signed by Governor
executive
Jun 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
upper
May 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 3 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
upper
May 7, 2026
Introduced
Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate
upper
May 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed By House. Votes: 36 YES 5 ABSENT
lower
May 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amendment HA 1 to HB 294 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
lower
Apr 21, 2026
Introduced
Amendment HA 1 to HB 294 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 4 On Its Merits, 1 Unfavorable
lower
Mar 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and Assigned to Administration Committee in House
lower
16 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors