This resolution proclaims June 19, 2017, as Juneteenth Independence Day in Delaware and encourages the people of Delaware to reflect upon the significant roles and many contributions of African Americans and to celebrate this day with appropriate activities and events.
This bill requires the Family Court of the State of Delaware to report adjudications of delinquency involving physical or sexual assault crimes, which are defined in this bill as they are in Title 31 of the Delaware Code, section 309, governing background checks for child-serving entities. These crimes include: reckless endangering in the first degree; abuse of a pregnant female in the second degree; abuse of a pregnant female in the first degree; strangulation; assault in the second degree; assault in the first degree; vehicular assault in the first degree; vehicular homicide in the second degree; vehicular homicide in the first degree; criminally negligent homicide; manslaughter; murder by abuse or neglect in the second degree; murder by abuse or neglect in the first degree; and murder in the second degree; murder in the first degree; promoting suicide; abortion; unlawful sexual contact in the second degree; unlawful sexual contact in the first degree.
This Act places a duty on the drivers of motor vehicles to clean ice and snow off of their vehicles prior to driving on the State’s highways. Greater penalties are provided for ice or snow dislodging from a moving vehicle and causing physical injury or property damage.
This Act builds on some of the legislation passed by the 148th General Assembly that addressed the wage gap between men and women. When employers ask prospective employees for their wage or salary history, it perpetuates disparities in pay based on gender from one job into another. This Act prohibits employers from inquiring into an applicant's compensation history. An applicant may voluntarily disclose the information if he or she wishes to do so, and the bill explicitly permits discussion and negation of compensation expectations between an employer and applicants, so long as the employer does not affirmatively seek compensation history in the course of discussion and negotiation. An employer is permitted to seek and confirm such information after an offer, including compensation, has been negotiated, made, and accepted. The effective date of the bill is delayed by 6 months to allow employers to update their policies.
This bill places restrictions on the placement of clothing bins. The bill requires a person who places a clothing bin on a property to first obtain a permit from the Department of Health and Social Services before placing the bin.
The purpose of this amendment is to better protect the motorists of the State of Delaware by raising the minimum automobile bodily injury and property damage limits to reflect the current economic conditions. The minimum automobile liability limits have not been raised in the State of Delaware since July 19, 1983. Most motor vehicle policies sold in Delaware provide $10,000 for property damage coverage. Bodily injury insurance proceeds are frequently used to cover the cost of not only pain and suffering, but an injured person’s medical expenses and lost wages, which have increased since 1983. For example, $15,000 in 1983 is equivalent to $35,960.54 in 2016, based on the federal Consumer Price Index – Urban statistics for 1983 and 2016. In addition, $30,000 in 1983 is equivalent to $71,921.08 in 2016.
This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to provide for equal rights. This amendment would advance human dignity and equality for all under the Delaware Constitution, and would correct a constitutional shortcoming. It subjects unequal treatment arising from historical bias to strict scrutiny, and enables courts in Delaware to establish jurisprudence concerning equal rights violations under State law reflecting Delaware values.
In the 148th General Assembly, the state employees' pension law was amended by House Bill No. 363, as amended by House Amendment No. 1 to House Bill No. 363, to permit specified peace officers to retire at 25 years without any reduction. Specified peace officers will pay a higher employee contribution, and those who continue to work past 25 years of service will have the multiplier used in the calculation of benefits increased for the years past 25 years. This Act adds Delaware State University Police officers to the definition of "specified peace officers."
This bill provides that civil violations or penalties under subchapters IV and V of Delaware’s Uniform Controlled Substances Act in Title 16 are included as offenses whereby a $15 penalty is assessed for the Fund to Combat Violent Crimes.
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.
