Delaware Bills | MyRepTracker

in committee · Delaware · House Jun 6, 2017

HB 2: AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO EQUAL PROTECTION.

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to provide for equal protection. This amendment would advance human dignity and equality for all under the Delaware Constitution, and would correct a constitutional shortcoming. It subjects unequal treatment based on discrimination to strict scrutiny, and enables courts in Delaware to establish jurisprudence concerning equal rights violations under State law reflecting Delaware values. Currently, while the federal and many state constitutions afford equal protection, Delaware’s constitution fails to do so.

James Johnson (D) Stephanie Hansen (D) Ernesto B. Lopez (R) Stephanie Bolden (D) Catherine Cloutier (R) · 14 co-sponsors

in committee · Delaware · House Jun 6, 2017

HB 209: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 RELATING TO EPILOGUE LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET BILL.

This Act is meant to prohibit the practice of waiving certain sections of the Delaware Code year after year through the use of epilogue language in the budget bill.

in committee · Delaware · Senate Jun 6, 2017

SB 94: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

This Act inserts additional language to clarify that a qualified voter must be 18 years of age on or before the date of the election a vote is to be cast.

in committee · Delaware · House Jun 1, 2017

HB 194: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX CREDITS.

This bill phases out the school property tax credit for residents age 65 or older, by eliminating eligibility for those born after 1967 (currently age 50). The fifteen year provision allows time for residents to adjust their long range financial plans. This bill does not affect anyone currently eligible for the credit.

in committee · Delaware · House Jun 1, 2017

HB 192: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

This bill creates a special license plate for emergency medical services professionals.

signed · Delaware · Senate May 30, 2017

SB 41: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO COVERAGE FOR SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY.

In an effort to reduce overdose deaths relating to the growing epidemic of opioid addiction, this Act requires carriers to provide coverage for medically necessary inpatient treatment of alcohol and drug dependencies and prohibits carriers from imposing precertification, prior authorization, pre-admission screening, or referral requirements for the diagnosis and treatment, including in-patient treatment, of drug and alcohol dependencies. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House May 26, 2017

HB 150: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON DELAWARE AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS.

This Act creates the Delaware African and Caribbean Affairs Commission.

passed · Delaware · House May 22, 2017

HB 136: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

This bill imposes a filing fee on write-in candidates of $1,000.00 for federal office and $100.00 for statewide or local office and changes the deadline for write-in candidates to file their declaration and filing fee from September 30 to September 1.

passed both · Delaware · Senate May 18, 2017

SB 20: AN ACT CONCURRING IN A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VIII OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND.

This Act is the second leg of a constitutional amendment that will limit the ability of the State to appropriate Transportation Trust Fund moneys to a purpose other than (1) capital expenditures on the public transportation system, including the road system, grants and allocations for investments in transportation, the transit system, and the support systems for public transportation; (2) payment of the interest and principal on all bonds issued before or after the effective date of this Act and secured by moneys in the Transportation Trust Fund; and (3) other transportation-related purposes, including operating expenses funding the Delaware Department of Transportation, to which moneys in the Transportation Trust Fund are authorized on the effective date of this Act. The first leg, Senate Bill No. 166 of the 148th General Assembly, was adopted by two-thirds of the members elected to the General Assembly and publicized in accordance with Article XVI, § 1 of the Delaware Constitution. This Act essentially creates a lock box on the Transportation Trust Fund that can only be opened by the agreement of three-fourths of all the members of each House through a bill separate from an annual budget act, bond and capital improvement act, or grants-in-aid act. Additionally, if moneys in the Transportation Trust Fund cease to be appropriated for a transportation-related purpose, the moneys may not again be appropriated to such purpose except by the agreement of three-fourths of all the members of each House through a bill separate from an annual budget act, bond and capital improvement act, or grants-in-aid act.

in committee · Delaware · House May 17, 2017

HB 151: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HATE CRIMES.

This Act revises Delaware’s hate crime statute to make law enforcement, firefighters and emergency personnel protected classes. Nationwide we have seen unprecedented number of unprovoked attacks upon our first responders. This Act provides additional protection for those who serve to protect our communities.

in committee · Delaware · House May 17, 2017

HB 186: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also referred to as “the food stamp program,” assists eligible low-income individuals with the purchase of food. This Act, known as the Delaware Nutritional Improvement Act, seeks to bring the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in line with other state programs and initiatives aimed at improving the health and welfare of Delawareans. SNAP benefits are paid entirely with federal funds, but the costs to administer the program are split between the federal and state government. As is the case with another jointly administered state-federal program – the Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) – this Act seeks to require SNAP benefits to be used solely for the purchase of healthy foods identified by the Department of Health and Social Services as having beneficial nutritional value. This will not only improve the efficiency of such expenditures but it should also improve the well-being of recipients, as well as potentially reduce health care expenditures. Using the WIC guidelines as a starting point, this Act instructs the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to draft a list of approved foods. The DHSS shall create the list with the goal of expanding on the WIC designations to improve selection and increase affordability. Under this Act, future SNAP benefits could be used only to purchase items designated as having beneficial nutritional value. Because the SNAP benefits are paid with federal funds, this Act would not become effective until the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture grants a waiver allowing its implementation. The status of this waiver may be obtained from the Director of the Department of Health and Social Services.

in committee · Delaware · House May 11, 2017

HB 96: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 19 AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE AND CHAPTER 298, VOLUME 80 OF THE LAWS OF DELAWARE RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.

This bill makes compensation a mandatory subject of bargaining for any group of employees who have joined together for purposes of collective bargaining and certified a labor organization to serve as their exclusive collective bargaining representative. The bill also eliminates any deadline for reaching an agreement pertaining to compensation.