Delaware Bills

signed · Delaware · House Sep 22, 2017

HB 15: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.

This bill creates a requirement that all public high schools, including charter schools, shall offer at least one computer science course at the high school level by the 2020-2021 school year. Also, this bill creates a requirement that, by the 2018-2019 school year, a computer science course may satisfy one year of the total credit requirement in mathematics, excluding Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II or the equivalent courses. The State Board of Education shall develop guidelines addressing how computer science courses can satisfy graduation requirements.

signed · Delaware · Senate Sep 21, 2017

SB 97: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD.

This bill allows Delaware Department of Transportation authorized vehicles to be able to use the shoulder of the road when responding to emergencies. Department of Transportation staff must respond to emergencies along the road to assist police, fire and paramedics with establishing maintenance of traffic. By allowing the use of the shoulder of the road staff will be able to respond in a timely manner.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 21, 2017

HB 146: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DRIVER’S LICENSE AND VEHICLE REGISTRATION.

This bill will remove the requirement for signatures to be in pen and ink when provided for driver license, identification card, or registration application processes. Removing this provision enables the Division of Motor Vehicles to develop more efficient means of serving customers including expanding online services.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 21, 2017

HB 246: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO REGISTRATION, TITLE, AND LICENSES OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

This bill would increase the exemption from inspection from 5 years to 7 years.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 21, 2017

HB 193: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EDUCATOR LICENSURE.

This Act authorizes teacher candidates who will participate in the “alternative routes” for teacher licensure and certification program hired after July 1 of a school year to fulfill the 120 hour seminar/practicum requirement prior to the start of the following school year.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 20, 2017

HB 120: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO INSURANCE COVERAGE OF CERTAIN CANCER TREATMENTS.

This Act requires health insurance policies to cover any medically appropriate drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of stage 4 metastatic cancer without requiring a patient to first prove that the patient failed to respond to a different drug or drugs. This Act is based on a similar bill in Georgia that was inspired by President Jimmy Carter’s recent battle with cancer.

signed · Delaware · Senate Sep 15, 2017

SB 35: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF THE RECOGNITION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL LICENSURE INTERSTATE COMPACT ACT.

This Act enacts the Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact Act ("REPLICA"). With REPLICA, EMS personnel will be able to respond across state borders within the provision of their duties on a short term, intermittent basis on a privilege to practice under approved circumstances. REPLICA promotes compliance with the laws governing EMS personnel practice in each member state, home and remote, and gives states the ability to hold providers accountable from both. EMS personnel covered by REPLICA include those responding to calls for assistance across state lines as part of their duty, covering large scale planned events such as staffing concerts, sporting events, or large scale unplanned events where federal agencies are dispatched to support details, for example, wildland firefighting teams. REPLICA comes into effect on the date on which the compact statute is enacted into law in the 10th member state. Seven states have enacted REPLICA, including Virginia. Benefits of REPLICA include: REPLICA extends the privilege to practice under authorized circumstances and on a limited basis to EMS Providers; REPLICA enables the ready exchange of information between states through a Coordinated Database regarding EMS personnel licensure, adverse actions, and significant investigatory information; REPLICA promotes the highest level of public protection to patients and to EMS personnel in our state’s EMS System. State EMS Offices will now know who is coming into their state; and REPLICA provides a unique opportunity to support members of the military and their spouses with a clear and timely pathway by which to become licensed.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 15, 2017

HB 265: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 RELATING TO THE DELAWARE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL POLICE/FIREFIGHTER PENSION PLAN

The purpose of this bill is to make full time paid firefighters in volunteer fire companies in this State eligible to join the Delaware County and Municipal/Police/Firefighter Pension Plan.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 14, 2017

HB 203: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DIABETES.

This Act directs the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance, Division of Public Health, and Office of Management and Budget – Human Resources Management (“the Agencies”) to report to the General Assembly every 2 years the impacts and costs associated with diabetes. The first report is due by June 30, 2019. The report shall include: (1) Data reflecting the prevalence and burden of diabetes in Delaware. (2) Activities related to diabetes programs and initiatives throughout the State. (3) An estimate of the financial impact of diabetes on each of the Agencies. (4) The number of people impacted or served by each of the Agencies with regard to diabetes, including programs and initiatives designed to reach individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. (5) A description of each of the Agencies’ implemented programs and activities aimed at improving diabetes care and preventing the disease, and an assessment of the expected benefits and outcomes for each program and activity. (6) Current funding levels for each of the Agencies to implement programs and activities aimed at reaching individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. (7) Each of the Agencies’ individual plans, including recommendations to address the prevention and control of diabetes, the intended outcomes of the recommendations, and estimates of the funding and time required to implement the recommendations.

signed · Delaware · Senate Sep 14, 2017

SB 66: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VIATICAL AND LIFE SETTLEMENTS.

On June 30, 2016, the Delaware State Senate adopted Senate Resolution No. 19 (“S.R. 19”), requesting the Delaware Department of Insurance (the “Department”) to examine the secondary market for life insurance policies and make recommendations for possible legislation. In response to S.R. 19, the Department issued a report in December 2016 recommending the adoption of the Model Viatical Settlements Act adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”). This bill significantly modifies 18 Del. C. Chapter 75, the Delaware Viatical Settlements Act by adopting the NAIC Model. This bill establishes strong consumer protections while protecting policyholder rights. Key provisions include: • The bill significantly expands the class of persons, known as “viators,” who are permitted to enter into viatical settlement contracts. Under present law, viators are defined as individuals with a catastrophic, life threatening or chronic illness or condition. This physical condition restriction is eliminated in this bill (Section 7502(20)). • A limited 5 year settlement prohibition targeting transactions with characteristics of stranger-originated life insurance, such as non-recourse financing, settlement guarantees, or life expectancy valuations. (Section 7511). • Protection of consumer property rights by permitting any-time settlements for cause such as death of spouse, divorce, disability, bankruptcy, loss of job, or chronic or terminal illness (Section 7511), and by requiring full disclosure to the prospective viator (Section 7508). • Expanded consumer right to rescind a settlement contract for up to 60 days (Section 7510(c)). • Settlement reporting requirements to enable regulators to identify and stop stranger-originated life insurance (Section 7506). • Prohibition on advertising representing that insurance is “free” or at “no cost” (Sections 7512(d) and 7513(e)). • Disclosure to insurers of any plan to originate, renew, or finance a policy prior to or within 5 years of policy issue (Section 7509). • A comprehensive definition of “viatical settlement contract” which includes policy transfers regardless of when they occur if they include indicia of stranger-originated life insurance, and transfers which do not fall within a legitimate settlement exception, such as non-recourse financing arrangements, debt forgiveness, or settlement guarantees (Section 7502(15)). • The bill contains fraud prevention and control measures, grants regulatory authority to the Insurance Commissioner to address violations of the Act through the issuance of cease and desist orders, imposition of civil penalties, petitions for injunctive relief, and other enforcement measures. The bill also allows persons injured by violations of the Act to bring civil actions, and allows the Attorney General to seek criminal penalties for “fraudulent viatical acts,” as defined in the Act. The criminal penalties in the current version of the bill are based on the penalties for theft in 11 Del. C. § 841. The bill expressly states that it does not preempt the authority or relieve the duty of the Attorney General or any other law enforcement or regulatory agencies to investigate, examine, and prosecute suspected violations of law. • Section 7518 of the bill provides that nothing in this chapter preempts any provision of the Delaware Securities Act, as amended, including the regulation of securities transactions in viatical settlement investments and the licensing of any person or entity engaged in the sale of securities. Enactment of the NAIC Model will provide regulators with strong and important tools to combat stranger-originated life insurance and the fraudulent behavior it engenders, while continuing to allow honest policyholders to exercise all of their individual and contractual rights.

signed · Delaware · Senate Sep 14, 2017

SB 46: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 25 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SELF-SERVICE STORAGE FACILITIES.

This legislation modernizes Delaware's Self-Service Storage Facility Act to account for the wide proliferation of online news and auction sites, as well as to establish frameworks for: (1) towing of certain property for which rent and other charges are in default; (2) use of information contained within property sold or otherwise disposed of; and (3) contractual provisions relating to limits on the value of stored property and to late fees, as well as transparency related to both.

signed · Delaware · House Sep 14, 2017

HB 45: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

This Act clarifies (i) how personal jurisdiction shall be obtained over nonresident respondents in administrative proceedings brought by the Director of Consumer Protection pursuant to Section 2523, Title 29 of the Code, and (ii) the manner in which service of process may be made upon respondents in those proceedings.This Act also empowers administrative hearing officers appointed under Section 2523(b), Title 29 to issue subpoenas upon request of the parties to the administrative proceeding, in order to enable the parties to present evidence not otherwise available to them.

Bill results