Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall

This Act requires that a contract advertised after September 30, 2026, relating to a public works project (project) with an aggregate cost of $5 million or more must include a project labor agreement with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council unless the project receives federal funding, the project is for highway construction, or there was only 1 bid for the craft under the contract. A project labor agreement is a type of collective bargaining agreement in the construction industry that is generally negotiated before construction begins. Project labor agreements are intended to provide a legally binding and enforceable contract primarily related to labor conditions and labor-management relations.

This Act is a substitute bill for Senate Bill No. 230 and differs from Senate Bill No. 230 by removing the language related to Section 284 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This Act defines, for purposes of this section, “county authority” as the Chief Financial Officer of the Office of Finance, the Director of the Department of Finance of Kent County, and the Finance Director of Sussex County. This Act expressly authorizes the county authority to compel the production of testimony and documentary evidence whenever a county relies upon, or defends its reliance upon, the income approach or cost comparison approaches to assess the fair market value of real property. This Act permits the enforcement of subpoenas by order of the Superior Court and permits use of the court’s contempt powers.

This Act requires each school district and charter school to adopt a policy, with educator input, about cell phone use by students during school hours. Each policy must contain: (1) Clear guidelines about what constitutes acceptable cell phone use at school. (2) A requirement that limits cell phone use during instructional time. (3) The designation of times and places during which students may use their cell phones at school. (4) Guidelines that encourage communication between the schools, parents or guardians, and students about the cell phone use policy. (5) A system of appropriate consequences for violations of the cell phone use policy. (6) Exceptions that address, and are applicable to, emergency situations and medical or educational accommodations. Each school district and charter school shall provide the Department with its policy. Each school district and charter school shall post its policy on its website by August 1, 2025. School districts and charter schools are free to amend their cell phone use policies as needed. If a school district or charter school adopts an amended cell phone use policy, it must be provided to the Department and posted on that school district or charter school’s website.

Maddy summaryHB 73 increases Delaware's maximum annual property tax credit for seniors from $500 to $1,000. This change directly benefits eligible Delaware seniors who pay property taxes by allowing them to receive up to $1,000 in tax relief each year. The bill amends specific sections of Delaware Code (Titles 14 and 29) to adjust the credit cap without altering eligibility requirements. This policy change provides greater financial relief for seniors with property tax burdens.

This Act moves the date of primary elections for statewide office, county office, and municipal office to the fourth Tuesday in April, which is the date of the presidential primary (in presidential election years). The dates for submitting and withdrawing notification of candidacy have been adjusted accordingly, as have the dates for notice of filing fees and background checks. Section 4 changes the “closed” period in which a voter is not allowed to change his or her political affiliation to match the 60-day limit in 15 Del. C. § 3189 for presidential primaries. This Act is applicable to all primary elections after December 31, 2026.

This resolution recognizes and commends the Theta Zeta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated for its years of exemplary service to the Dover community, with a focus on educational equity, health advocacy, civic engagement, and empowering women and children. The Chapter’s work reflects the sorority’s historic legacy of scholarship, service, sisterhood, and finer womanhood.

This Act prohibits payment card networks from establishing or charging transaction fees on tips on credit card transactions. Violations are punishable by a penalty of $1,000 per electronic transaction and the wrongful fees must be refunded.

This resolution recognizes the Easterseals/CAI Volleyball Challenge which occurred on March 7 at the University of Delaware Carpenter Sports Building, an event that raises funds for an organization providing services and support to Delawareans with disabilities and senior citizens and their families. This resolution also recognizes Ellice Biloon, the 2026 Volleyball Ambassador.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates March 2026 as Women's History Month in Delaware to honor the leadership and achievements of women throughout history. It is a ceremonial resolution that does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves to recognize women's contributions. The measure was passed by both the House and Senate with a voice vote in the House and a 21-0 vote in the Senate.

This Substitute for House Bill No. 252, like House Bill No. 252, makes a technical correction and decriminalizes the use or consumption of a personal use quantity of a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance in an area accessible to the public, instead making it a civil violation with a fine of up to $50 for a first offense and up to $100 for subsequent offenses. This Substitute differs from House Bill No. 252 in that it does not decriminalize the use of or consumption of a personal use quantity by individuals in moving vehicles. This Substitute does not change the penalty (up to a $200 fine, up to 5 days imprisonment, or both) for a person operating a moving vehicle while using a personal use quantity, but changes the penalty for passengers to a $100 fine with no possibility of prison time.