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Delaware Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 5,473 Active 58 In committee 1,778 Passed 1,860 Signed 2,287 Failed 68

signed · Delaware · Senate Aug 2, 2024

SB 238: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF CRIME VICTIMS.

This Act adds "victim of kidnapping" to the definition section of the Address Confidentiality Act, allowing for kidnapping victims to become eligible for the protections offered by the Address Confidentiality Program. This amendment is recommended and supported by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to better protect kidnapping victims and their families. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 364: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CANCER COVERAGE.

This Act requires that individual, blanket, and group health insurance carriers cover drug treatment for the associated conditions of metastatic cancer in the same way treatment for metastatic cancer is covered. Specifically, it requires insurance companies to cover any FDA approved drug prescribed to treat the side effects of metastatic cancer treatment and prohibits insurance companies from mandating that patients first fail to respond to a different drug or prove a history of failure of such drug. Technical changes are also made to comply with the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BEREAVEMENT LEAVE.

HB 279 updates Delaware state law to grant school employees up to five days of bereavement leave, aligning their benefits with those already available to state employees. This change ensures that teachers and other school staff receive the same time off to handle family deaths as their counterparts in the state workforce. The legislation was passed by both the House and Senate and was signed into law by the Governor in August 2024.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 127: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 9 AND TITLE 25 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION FEES.

This Act provides each county with the ability to impose, by duly enacted ordinance, a fire protection fee (fee). A county that enacts this fee must do all of the following: 1. Deposit all money collected from this fee in an account that is segregated from the county's general funds. 2. Establish criteria under which this money is distributed to fire companies providing fire protection in the county. 3. After using no more than 5% of the money annually deposited from this fee for administration of this fee, distribute all of the money collected, including accrued interest, within 18 months of receipt. In addition, under this Act: 1. A fire protection fee may be collected from property that is otherwise exempt from taxation unless an exemption from this fee is provided by the county. 2. A county may, by ordinance, establish penalties for the failure to pay a fire protection fee and establish procedures to abate the penalty. 3. The unpaid balance and any penalties become a lien on the property upon which the fire protection fee was incurred and the county may institute a proceeding to enforce this lien. 4. A fire company must include the money received from a fire protection fee in the annual audit required under § 6608 of Title 16. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 405: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE JUVENILE OFFENDER CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM.

This Act removes the requirement that a juvenile can only be referred to the the Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program a second or subsequent time if the juvenile’s prior referral was for a different offense than the second referral, allowing a juvenile to be referred for the same offense if the juvenile is otherwise qualified. This Act also makes technical changes to comply with the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 284: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE.

This is a clean-up bill that moves certain workers’ compensation-related provisions in Chapter 25 of Title 18 to Chapter 26 of Title 18, the latter of which shall exclusively govern workers’ compensation filings. The bill also makes technical corrections to conform with the Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 318: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 AND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS IN BANKRUPTCY AND DEBT PROCEEDINGS.

This Act increases the exemption in bankruptcy and other debt proceedings for a debtor’s personal residence from $125,000 to $200,000. The exemption has been limited to $125,000 since 2012 while home prices have increased dramatically in the intervening years. It also increases the exemption for tools of the trade and for a vehicle to $25,000 from $15,000. This Act also exempts worker’s compensation awards under the laws of other states from attachment in bankruptcy or other proceedings in the same manner that a worker’s compensation award made under Delaware law is exempt. The Act takes effect on January 1, 2025.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 2, 2024

HB 255: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BOILER SAFETY PROGRAM.

This Act makes several updates to the Boiler Safety Program. The Boiler Safety Program can issue certificates of compliance and the Secretary can grant variances. A 6th member is added to the Boiler Safety Council from associated labor unions. It adds an enforcement section for violators who fail to comply with Program requirements. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform with current drafting standards. Finally, the Act allows DNREC to establish fees for the Program that reasonably reflect the cost of the Program and defray its expenses. It therefore requires a 3/5 vote.

signed · Delaware · Senate Aug 2, 2024

SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 453, VOLUME 83 OF THE LAWS OF DELAWARE, AND TITLE 18 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROVIDING FOR DRIVER EDUCATION TRAINING, A DRIVER'S LICENSE, OR MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS IN OR HAS EXPERIENCED FOSTER CARE IN DELAWARE.

This Act removes the sunset provision in Chapter 453, Volume 83 of the Laws of Delaware relating to the program established under §9011A of Title 29 to assist individuals who are in or have experienced foster care in Delaware with driver education, driver licensing, and motor vehicle insurance and associated barriers and costs. The Act also amends §9011A of Title 29 to clarify the scope and administration of the program, and amends the definition of “youth in foster care” under §3921 of Title 18 to maintain consistency with 29 Del. C. §9011A(g)(1).

signed · Delaware · Senate Aug 1, 2024

SB 216: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES AND SERVICES AND CIVIL PENALTIES.

This Act increases the civil penalties for violations of the statutes in Title 16, Chapter 11 related to Long Term Care Facilities and the regulations adopted pursuant to it. For violations that the Department determines pose a serious threat to the health and safety of a resident, the minimum penalty in Section 1109 of Title 16 is increased from $1,000 per violation to $2,000, and the maximum penalty is increased from $10,000 to $20,000 per violation. Each day of a continuing violation constitutes a separate violation. For violations that do not constitute a serious threat to the health and safety of a resident, the maximum penalty is increased from $5,000 to $10,000 per violation. The civil penalties in Section 1109(a)(2) for violations that pose a serious threat to the health and safety of a resident were established in 1998 and have not been increased since then. The maximum civil penalty in Section 1109(c) for violations that do not constitute a serious threat to the health and safety of a resident was set at $10,000 in 1998, but was later reduced to $5,000 in 2000, and has not been increased since then. This Act also repeals the provision which places a cap on the civil penalties for continuing violations.

signed · Delaware · House Aug 1, 2024

HB 300: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

This Substitute Bill requires the Department of Health and Social Services to maintain a public registry of assisted living facilities that are accredited and/or certified to provide memory care services by an approved independent accrediting organization. This Act also authorizes DHSS to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out these provisions, and it defines memory care services and secured memory care unit. Violations of this Act are subject to enforcement actions under Chapter 11 of Title 16 and are a basis for the nonrenewal of a facility’s license. This bill also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

signed · Delaware · Senate Aug 1, 2024

SB 215: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STATE INSPECTIONS OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

This bill updates Delaware's rules for inspecting long-term care facilities, requiring the Department of Health and Social Services to examine each facility at least once every 15 months. To maintain a statewide average inspection frequency of every 12 months, the department can charge extra fees to cover the costs of additional inspections needed when violations are found. Inspectors have the authority to enter facilities without prior notice, interview residents and staff, review records, and verify that previous issues have been fixed. The law also prohibits former employees or relatives of facility staff from participating in inspections of their former or current workplaces to ensure impartiality.