Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown

This resolution celebrates Delaware's observance of the centennial of the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing for women’s suffrage. It further calls on the Delaware Heritage Commission to organize meaningful events and exhibits to honor the 100th anniversary and establish a subcommittee to plan a parade commemorating the occasion.

Act enacts the National Popular Vote compact, which changes the Electoral College from an institution that reflects the voters’ state-by-state choices into a body that reflects the voters’ nationwide choice. Currently, state statutes require that electoral votes are controlled by the plurality of the voters in the state but this system is not required by the U.S. Constitution or federal law. The National Popular Vote compact requires that each member state award its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who received the largest number of popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The National Popular Vote compact becomes effective when it is enacted by states collectively possessing a majority of the electoral votes. When the National Popular Vote compact takes effect, the presidential candidate receiving the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia would be guaranteed enough electoral votes in the Electoral College to be elected to the Presidency. Specifically, this Act does the following: Section 1. Adopts The Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote ("National Popular Vote compact") and provides for notice regarding when the National Popular Vote compact is in effect and governs a presidential election. Section 2. Revises the wording of § 4303(b) so that it correctly addresses how electors must vote in any presidential election. This is not a substantive change to current law, which governs when the National Popular Vote compact is not applicable to an election, because the electors nominated by the political party that received the plurality of vote of the voters of this State are the electors who are appointed. Section 3. Corrects a typographical error in § 5711. Section 4. Revises § 5711 to govern when the National Popular Vote compact governs a presidential election. Both versions of § 5711 will appear in the Delaware Code with a note at the top of each version stating if that version governs the next presidential election. Section 5. Revises § 7704 of Title 15 regarding the election of delegates to a state constitutional convention to ratify proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution so that it remains unchanged by the National Popular Vote compact. The statute currently provides that delegates are elected "in the same manner as in the case of the election for electors for President and Vice President." Because the National Popular Vote compact changes how electors are selected, § 7704 is revised so that delegates to a national constitutional convention are nominated and elected in the current manner, regardless of whether the National Popular Vote compact governs the next presidential election. Section 6. Clarifies the effective date of this Act and when Section 1 of this Act governs a presidential election.

This bill provides that for correction officers and specified peace officers, the amount of ordinary service or disability pension benefits given to state employees shall also include the following:  (1) Before July 1, 2019, 2.45% of his or her final average compensation multiplied by years of service above 25 years; (2) After July 1, 2019,  2.5% of his or her final average compensation multiplied by the number of years of service for up to 20 years, plus 3.5% of his or her final average compensation multiplied by the number of years of service above 20 years. The increased multipliers that take effect after July 1, 2019 reflect increased costs, reduced benefits, and the need to recruit and retain qualified and competent correction officers and specified peace officers with a modernized pension benefit. In addition, this bill amends the employee contribution for all correction officers and specified peace officers to a uniform 7%. Specified peace officers means (1) Probation and parole officers employed by the Department of Correction; (2) Capitol Police officers; (3) Department of Natural Resources police officers; (4) University of Delaware Police; (5) State Fire Marshal officers; (6) Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement agents; (7) Justice of the Peace Court constables; and (8) Probation and parole officers in the Serious Juvenile Offender Unit and senior probation officers employed by the Division of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families.

This Act establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware elementary schools. The unit is at a ratio of 250 full-time equivalent students grades K-5 for a full-time school counselor, school social worker, or licensed clinical social worker. Additionally a unit ratio of 700 full time equivalent students for grades K-5 for employment of a full-time school psychologist. This Act defines “mental health services” as prevention, response, and coordination services delivered to students in elementary schools. Mental Health disorders are the most common health problem for school aged youth. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five youth are affected by a mental health disorder. Additionally, 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14. Untreated mental illness leads to negative outcomes including increased risk of dropout, homelessness, substance abuse, other chronic illnesses, incarceration, and possibly suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, ninety percent of people who have taken their own life have had an underlying mental health condition, and suicides are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides are now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. Delaware schools need trained and experienced mental health professionals to provide prevention and support programs and services to students. Currently, as reported by Delaware school districts, 86% of elementary schools do not employ a school social worker, and ratios of students to school counselors and school psychologists far exceed national best practices. This bill will lower ratios and increase access to mental health services for elementary school students.

This Act requires high needs elementary schools, including high needs elementary charter schools, to have school-based health centers. The State will pay the start-up costs for each school-based health center at 2 centers per year until each high needs elementary school has a center. High needs elementary schools are defined as any elementary school in the top quartile of 3 or more in percentage of low-income students, percentage of English learners, percentage of students with disabilities, percentage of minority students, or having 90% of its students classified as low-income, English learners, or minority. This act also allows high needs elementary schools having pre-existing school-based health centers to apply for reimbursement of previously expended funds necessary to establish said health center.

This bill provides State funding to kindergarten through third grade for basic special education. State funding already occurs for intensive and complex special education during these grades. Currently the basic special education funding runs from fourth through twelfth grade. This bill is an effort to promote earlier identification and assistance for basic special education needs which should then mitigate costs over the long term. Pursuant to its terms, funding for K-3 special education will be phased in gradually over 4 years.

This resolution honors the victims of the Christchurch, New Zealand terror attack.

This bill removes the training minimum wage, which takes effect 90 days after enactment, and youth minimum wage, which takes effect January 1, 2020.

This Act creates the Delaware Federal Employees Civil Relief Act which provides the temporary suspension of judicial and administrative proceedings and transactions in Delaware that may adversely affect the civil rights of Federal workers during a shutdown. This Act only applies to Federal workers who reside in Delaware. The Act permits a Federal worker who is furloughed or required to work without pay during a shutdown to apply to a court or administrative agency for a temporary stay, postponement or suspension of any payment of rent, mortgage, tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, or other civil obligation or liability. A court or administrative agency may grant such relief if it finds that the ability of the Federal worker to pay such obligation has been materially affected by the shutdown. The length of stay may be for the period of the shutdown and 90 days thereafter. This Act also prohibits landlords from evicting a federal worker from premises that are occupied or intended to be occupied primarily as a residence. This Act also prohibits the lapse, termination or forfeiture of the health, life, disability, or motor vehicle insurance policy of a Federal worker without a court order. This Act also places limits on the interest rate that can be imposed on a Federal worker during a shutdown. Finally, this Act empowers the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of the Act and permits a court to impose a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for violations of the Act.

This Act authorizes the Office of Management and Budget to partner with financial institutions and non-profit providers to establish a temporary loan program for furloughed and unpaid Federal employees as a result of the shutdown caused by a lapse in appropriations.