Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf

Currently, every adult operating or riding as a passenger on a motorcycle is required to have a helmet in their possession and wear eye protection while operating or riding a motorcycle and every person up to 19 years of age must wear a helmet and eye protection. This Act requires that everyone who obtains a new endorsement for a motorcycle on or after the effective date of this Act, or someone riding with the newly endorsed person, to wear a helmet and eye protection for the first 2 years after the newly endorsed person receives the endorsement. In 2022, Delaware experienced 10 motorcycle fatalities where the rider was not wearing a helmet. Over the last 5 years, among crashes involving a Delaware licensed motorcycle rider, 25% of fatal and serious injury crashes involved a rider in their first 2 years of having a motorcycle endorsement. Helmets and eye protection are already required for those operating with a temporary motorcycle instruction permit as required under § 2703 of Title 21 of the Delaware Code and no passengers are allowed. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet. According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets are highly effective in protecting motorcycle riders’ heads in crashes and significantly reduce deaths and serious head injuries in crashes. This Act creates a civil penalty for violation of the helmet law, both the existing law and the law created by this Act.

According to the Mayo Clinic, miscarriages occur in about 20% of all pregnancies, and generally, in the first 12 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of every 100 American pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Black women have a significantly higher risk of miscarrying— 43% higher when compared to white women. Black mothers are also more than twice as likely to experience stillbirth compared to Hispanic and white mothers. This bill provides State employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of 5 days of paid bereavement leave. This Act shall be known as the "Sloane Hajek Act of 2023".

Section 1 of this bill 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. Section 2 of the bill changes the deadline for a minor political party selecting its candidate at the party’s convention. Section 3 of the bill changes the deadline for filing certificates of nomination from September 1st to April 1st. 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. Section 5 provides that the Act is applicable to all primary elections after October 1, 2024.

This Bill allows for the use of green lights on state owned and operated snow removal equipment and vehicles during winter weather operations. Studies have shown green lights are more visible to the traveling public during winter weather conditions.

This Concurrent Resolution does all of the following: (1) Directs the Director of the Division of Research and the Director of the Legislative Information Systems Team of the Office of the Controller General to investigate the cost of, impact of, and methods and timeframe for implementing a requirement to include hyperlinks to laws cross-referenced in legislation and Delaware laws published by the General Assembly. (2) Requires the Director of the Division of Research and the Director of the Legislative Information Systems Team of the Office of the Controller General to submit a written report of their findings and recommendations no later than March 1, 2024.

This is an omnibus bill that updates several aspects of the Delaware Public Utility Code, Title 26, including the following: (a) Expanding the public notice options for the Public Service Commission in order to reduce costs, increase transparency, and raise public awareness of Commission proceedings; (b) Amending the statute which sets the salary of Commissioners to provide for a salary as appropriated in the annual State Operating Budget; (c) Increasing the utility assessment rate; and (d) Eliminating references to the Water Supply Coordinating Council, which reached its sunset date of January 31, 2022.

This Act resolves ambiguities in the current law and confirms the ability of a spouse who owns real property as tenant by the entirety, acting alone, to convey that spouse’s interest in such real property to both spouses, as tenants by the entirety or otherwise, or to the other spouse.

This Act updates the makeup and duties of the Council of Apprenticeship and Training to meet the current needs of the DOL, the apprenticeship workforce, and employers. It clarifies the duties of the Council, the membership of the Council, and term limits for council members.

This Concurrent Resolution creates the Victims' Bill of Rights Committee to study and make findings and recommendations regarding the Victims' Bill of Rights.