Delaware Bills

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 146: AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND APPROVE THE TRANSFER OF CERTAIN STATE OF DELAWARE OWNED REAL PROPERTY IN KENT COUNTY TO THE TOWN OF SMYRNA.

This Act authorizes the Department of Health and Social Services to transfer to the Town of Smyrna excess land around the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, which borders on Lake Como, for $1.00. The land shall be used to expand the size of the park around Lake Como.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 101: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.

The opioid epidemic spreading through Delaware has reached critical levels, with 210 fentanyl-related deaths in 2017. This legislation will update the schedule for Fentanyl analogues, consistent with language used by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Forensic Chemistry Unit at the Division of Forensic Science has confirmed the presence of these analogues in Delaware, but some of which are not currently scheduled under Title 16. This is directly related to continuous structural modifications of Fentanyl by illicit manufacturers. This legislation will close that gap and provide clarity to Title 16, consistent with federal law, by addressing ever-changing structural modifications being made in the illicit manufacture of Fentanyl. This legislative is aimed to curb the manufacture and distribution of illicit Fentanyl analogues and has no impact on the legal manufacture of Fentanyl for medical use.

signed · Delaware · House Jul 17, 2019

HB 255: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF DOVER RELATING TO THE IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF A LODGING TAX.

This Act amends the Charter of the City of Dover to give the City Council the authority to impose and collect a lodging tax.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 111: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES.

The Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee approved a project to work with the Governor's Office throughout 2018 and 2019 to identify antiquated boards, commissions, and councils that need statutory updates or outright repeals. The Advisory Council to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services was identified as needing updates to change terms to “up to” 3 years, remove political party balance, and make it easier to fill vacancies. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 133: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL ANIMAL WELFARE LICENSE PLATES.

This Act revises the membership of the Fund Committee for special animal welfare license plates by including the Executive Directors of organizations instead of the presidents of the organization’s board of directors and adds the Executive Director of the Brandywine Valley SPCA to the Fund Committee. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 86: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF REHOBOTH BEACH RELATING TO THE POWER TO IMPOSE AND COLLECT A LODGING TAX.

This Act amends the Charter of Rehoboth Beach to give the Commissioners the authority to impose and collect a lodging tax. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 132: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE GUARANTY ASSOCIATION ACT.

This Act updates the Delaware Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Act (Delaware Act) to conform Delaware law to revisions made to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Model Act (Model Act). The Model Act provides a framework for protecting policy or contract owners, insureds, beneficiaries, annuitants, payees, and assignees against losses due to the insolvency or impairment of an insurer. This Act revises the methodology for assessments relating to long-term care insurance written by an impaired or insolvent insurer and includes managed care organizations and health maintenance organizations within the scope of the Delaware Act to more fairly distribute the cost of long-term care insurance insolvencies among insurers writing life, health, annuity, managed care organization, and health maintenance organization products and to ensure sufficient assessment capacity for all insolvencies. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 102: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 23 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PILOTAGE RATES.

This Bill establishes the pilotage rates for the Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware for 2020, 2021 and 2022.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 115: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT AND SUNSET COMMITTEE.

This Act makes updates to the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Act (“JLOSC Act”) to meet modern-day needs and practices. First, this Act defines “highest administrative officer” to clarify that the executive branch, cabinet-level officer of an entity under review must be present at public hearings under the JLOSC Act. Other states have an equal mix of requiring the presence of the cabinet-level official, requiring the presence of the division-level leader, or not clarifying which of the 2 positions must be present. This Act contemplates circumstances under which a person other than the cabinet-level officer may be more appropriate to appear at JLOSC hearings, and therefore authorizes the officer, with the JLOSC Chair’s approval, to appoint a designee to meet the officer’s obligations, or the JLOSC Committee to designate a person other than the officer. This Act also makes changes to specific deadlines that are out-of-step with JLOSC’s practices and needs. In doing so, this Act also clarifies language regarding JLOSC staffs’ duties and requirements for the JLOSC’s draft report. Finally, this Act makes technical changes to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 72: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS.

This bill serves to "decouple" the required examination in Principles and Practice of Engineering from the experience requirements. Applicants who have met their educational requirements may take the examination prior to completion of their experience. (This amendment does not apply to applicants who become licensed solely through experience without an educational component.) Decoupling serves to safeguard life, health, and property and promotes the public welfare by encouraging and facilitating engineering students and new engineers to pursue licensure without lowering the requirements for licensure. Currently, 16 states allow applicants to take the examination before completion of 4 years of experience. This bill also specifies that, for comity applicants, experience may be accepted even where it is obtained outside of the states, territories, or possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, or provinces or territories of Canada.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 75: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PAYMENT OF LIFE INSURANCE CLAIMS.

This Act makes the following changes to provisions required in life insurance policies issued in this State: (1) Specifies that a certified copy of an insured's death certificate, or other lawful evidence providing equivalent information, is acceptable as due proof of death. (2) Requires that interest be paid on the death benefit due under a life insurance policy.

signed · Delaware · Senate Jul 17, 2019

SB 74: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30, CHAPTER 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO NEW ECONOMY JOBS PROGRAM CREDITS.

This bill makes modification to the New Economy Jobs Credit allowing qualified employers to pro-rate their job creation activity in the first certified year, ensuring the indexation of the salary threshold is conducted prior to the calendar year to assist with business planning and establishing an incentive to qualified employers to maintain their employment thresholds.

Bill results