Rep. Melanie Ross Levin

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to make clear that the right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and may not be infringed without a showing of a compelling state interest. The U.S. Supreme Court has long interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment’s prohibition against the State depriving a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law to prevent arbitrary or unreasonable action by the State. Specifically, in 1923, the Court, in Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390 stated: “While this Court has not attempted to define with exactness [of] the liberty thus guaranteed [under the Fourteenth Amendment], the term has received much consideration and some of the included things have been definitely stated. Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.” In the 1965 decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, the U.S. Supreme Court found that a law making the use of contraceptives a criminal offense violated the right to privacy. The Court held that within the Bill of Rights, “Various guarantees create zones of privacy. The right of association contained in the penumbra of the First Amendment is one, as we have seen. The Third Amendment in its prohibition against the quartering of soldiers ‘in any house’ in time of peace without the consent of the owner is another facet of that privacy. The Fourth Amendment explicitly affirms the ‘right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.’ The Fifth Amendment in its Self-Incrimination Clause enables the citizen to create a zone of privacy which government may not force him to surrender to his detriment. The Ninth Amendment provides: ‘The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.’" More recently, in Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003), the Court stated that “our laws and tradition afford constitutional protection to personal decisions relating to marriage, procreation, contraception, family relationships, child rearing, and education.” In explaining the respect the Constitution demands for the autonomy of the person in making these choices, the Lawrence Court noted that the Court previous held that “[t]hese matters, involving the most intimate and personal choices a person may make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignity and autonomy, are central to the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” In reaching its ruling, the Lawrence Court held that the petitioners were “entitled to respect for their private lives. The State cannot demean their existence or control their destiny by making their private sexual conduct a crime. Their right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government. ‘It is a promise of the Constitution that there is a realm of personal liberty which the government may not enter.’” The General Assembly proposes the enactment of this constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right of individual privacy to secure for Delawareans the rights the U.S. Supreme Court has previously found emanate from the federal constitution in the face of concerns regarding the continued effect of these U.S. Supreme Court precedents. Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.

This Act updates the DOE’s standards for selecting and and implementing statewide reading screeners and literacy intervention approaches. In summary, this Act does the following: 1. Clarifies factors that the Department must consider when selecting literacy intervention approaches that may be used by schools. 2. Authorizes school districts and charter schools to submit an alternative reading screener to the Department for approval. 3. Requires the Department to annually identify schools with a significant level of students below proficient on the State’s third grade reading assessment for 2 consecutive years. 4. Requires the Department to provide additional supports to schools identified as below proficient.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes March 2025 as "Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware and highlights the importance of education, prevention, and early detection to reduce the impact of colorectal cancer.

Maddy summarySCR 28 is a symbolic resolution recognizing March 2025 as "Kidney Month" in Delaware. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about kidney disease, which affects approximately 2,698 Delaware residents with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and highlights the state's 152 people on kidney transplant waiting lists. The resolution emphasizes the importance of early detection through screenings and healthy lifestyle choices like balanced diets and hydration. It was introduced by Senator Poore and passed unanimously by both legislative chambers in March 2025. This resolution serves as a public health awareness tool, not a policy change.

Maddy summarySCR 26 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing March 16-22, 2025, as "National Agriculture Week" in Delaware. It honors Delaware’s agricultural sector through symbolic recognition, highlighting the industry’s economic and cultural significance without creating new laws or policies. The resolution cites Delaware’s farm production (e.g., 601 million chickens raised in 2023) and farmland preservation efforts as context for the designation. This is purely a symbolic gesture with no direct policy impact or funding changes.

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes March 18, 2025, as “National Youth Heart Screening Day” in Delaware and reaffirms our commitment to saving lives through prevention, education, and access to lifesaving tools and resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a symbolic resolution recognizing March 18, 2025, as "Health Workforce Well-Being Day of Awareness" in Delaware. It does not create new programs or funding but formally acknowledges the ongoing crisis of burnout, mental health challenges, and workplace violence affecting healthcare workers. The resolution cites statistics showing 50% of healthcare workers experienced burnout in 2020, along with high rates of violence and depression among nurses and physicians. It aligns with prior federal efforts like the Dr. Lorna Breen Act but focuses solely on raising awareness through this designated day. The resolution directly affects Delaware healthcare workers and the state's commitment to addressing workforce well-being.

This resolution designates the week of March 10 through March 14, 2025, as “Civic Learning Week” in the State of Delaware to encourage schools and civic organizations to hold educational programs regarding civic duty and urge Delawareans to reflect upon the importance of their civic duty and responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SCR 25) formally honors Darwin R. Wall of Middletown, Delaware, for his military service during the Vietnam War and his 2023 award of the Bronze Star Medal. It recognizes his role as a military police officer with the "Bushwhackers" unit who engaged in combat operations but was initially denied combat badges. The resolution expresses the State of Delaware's gratitude for his service and acknowledges his well-deserved Bronze Star, which he received after a lengthy process. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - only symbolic recognition.

Maddy summaryHCR 14 is a symbolic concurrent resolution recognizing the holy month of Ramadan and Delaware's Muslim residents who observe it. It formally acknowledges Ramadan's significance in Islam - marking the revelation of the Quran, involving fasting from dawn to dusk, and emphasizing spiritual reflection - and highlights the contributions of Muslim Americans to Delaware's history, economy, and community. The resolution has no legal effect or policy changes; it is purely ceremonial, affirming respect for religious observance as protected under the First Amendment. It passed unanimously in both legislative chambers on March 13, 2025.