Rep. Kim Williams

The minimum wage for employees who receive tips or gratuities has not changed since 1983, when the overall state minimum wage was $3.35 per hour. Tipped wage workers at that time were paid a percentage – 66.67% – of the minimum wage, which was $2.23 per hour. In 1989, the General Assembly changed the hourly wage to a flat $2.23 per hour, where it has remained since. Had the calculation been left unchanged, the tipped wage would have increased along with the minimum wage. Therefore, this bill ensures that employees who receive tips or gratuities also receive a minimum wage increase when other employees in the State receive a minimum wage increase.

This Act establishes the Quality Improvement Advisory Council (“Advisory Council”) to promote collaboration and problem-solving with stakeholders in the system of care administered by the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (“the Division”). The Division, in consultation with the Advisory Council, must submit an annual report to the General Assembly and the Department of Health and Social Services on specific performance measures affecting services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Under this Act, the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee will review the Advisory Council in 2022 to determine whether it has been an effective tool for collaboration between the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services and the provider community.

This concurrent resolution recognizes the 100th anniversary of the American Legion Auxiliary in the State of Delaware.

This Act incorporates a “grandfather provision” into the definition of “resident” such that a claimant for a tax exemption who is at least 65 years of age and who was domiciled in the State of Delaware by December 31, 2018, upon reaching their 3-year anniversary of having been domiciled in the State as of June 30 immediately prior to the beginning of the County fiscal year, and upon satisfying all other requirements, such claimant is eligible for a property tax exemption or credit. For a claimant who is at least 65 years of age and who was domiciled in the State after December 31, 2018, upon reaching their 10-year anniversary of having been domiciled in the State as of June 30 immediately prior to the beginning of the County fiscal year, and upon satisfying all other requirements, such claimant is eligible for a property tax exemption or credit. The above-mentioned changes are similar to revisions to the residency requirements for claimants who are 65 years of age or older and who seek a credit against school taxes. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act amends Section 3001(d)(1) of Title 14 to require that the Department of Education ensure that the standards of the Delaware Stars for Early Success system are consistent with the regulations of the Office of Child Care Licensing. It also removes the Office of Child Care Licensing from the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families and puts it within the Department of Education to facilitate that consistency.

This Act authorizes the Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Department, or General Assembly to request, and requires the Auditor of Accounts conduct or contract for, an audit of a charter school's business and financial transactions, records, and accounts in certain circumstances. Such a request must be based on evidence of misuse of State money or a violation of the following State law, or regulation promulgated under the State law: (1) Part I of Title 11 (relating to the Delaware Criminal Code). (2) Chapter 5 of Title 14 (relating to charter schools). (3) Subchapter I of Chapter 58 of Title 29 (relating to the State employees’, officers’, and officials’ code of conduct). (4) Chapter 69 of Title 29 (relating to State procurement). In addition, this Act makes clear that the Auditor of Accounts may not charge for an audit conducted or contracted for under this Act.

This Act creates a Delaware Manufactured Home Owner Attorney Fund ("Attorney Fund") by collecting a $0.50 monthly assessment per lot from manufactured home owners who rent a lot in a community governed by the Manufactured Home Owners and Community Owners Act. The Attorney Fund will be administered by the Department of Justice to contract with an attorney or agency who will provide legal representation and advocacy for manufactured home owners enforcing existing rights in disputes with community owners. This Act does all of the following: 1. Clarifies that tenants and landlords continue to each pay half of the monthly assessment, currently $5.00, which is deposited in the Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation Trust Fund. 2. Directs $0.50 of each tenant’s portion of the monthly assessment to the Attorney Fund. 3. Reduces the obligation of the landlord by $0.50 for each rented lot. This Act is drafted so that if both this Act and House Bill No. 45 are enacted in 2019, the changes made by this Act will be incorporated into the revisions to Chapter 70 of Title 25 made by House Bill No. 45. Sections 1 and 2 make the same technical corrections as House Bill No. 45 and Sections 1 and 3 make additional technical corrections, to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This bill creates licensing for recovery housing, which is housing for individuals recovering from substance use disorders that provides a safe and supportive substance-free environment and that may include peer support and other recovery support services. Right now recovery housing has no oversight although DSAMH has broad authority to license any setting that treatment is provided. This bill creates guidelines for the Division to actually oversee recovery housing and for recovery housing to obtain licensure by the Division.

This bill allows a person who is arrested or convicted of any crime, except a violent felony, which was a direct result of being a victim of human trafficking may file an application or for a pardon or expungement or make a motion to vacate judgment. This bill also makes changes to the Human Trafficking Interagency coordinating by adding another member of the judicial branch and a representative of the Department of Education. This bill also adds locations where a public awareness sign must be placed.

The Department of Health and Human Services (“DHSS”) was established in 1970 by legislative enactment with a broad and crucial mandate: to supervise the health, wellbeing, and life of Delaware citizens. In the decades since, the population of Delaware has increased, and the needs of Delaware citizens have required increasingly complex and costly medical interventions, particularly for those most vulnerable among us, such as the elderly and those suffering from addiction. To serve this broad array of individual needs, DHSS has adapted to provide personalized and individualized services to citizens at a level of direct care. Additionally, the broad language of DHSS’ authorizing statute has required it to maintain focus on other policy initiatives, such as promoting public health and administering healthcare through Medicaid while maintaining compliance with state and Federal laws and regulations, which themselves have grown in complexity. Given the advancements in both individualized care and the policy landscape, the inevitable conclusion is that DHSS’ dual roles must be separated into two separate Departments with Cabinet-level representation. Doing so will ensure that Delawareans receive high-quality care on an individualized basis, and will recommit a separate agency to its important policy objectives, such as maximizing efficiency and reducing the cost associated with waste that arises when an agency’s functions become too manifold for the agency to be efficient and effective. This Bill establishes a committee of members from various state agencies, as well as the legislative and executive branches and individuals representing the healthcare industry and Delaware citizens. The strategic mission of this Committee is to implement a separation of DHSS’ current organizational structure into two separate cabinet-level Agencies. The Bill also establishes a timeline for action by the Committee that will encourage it to act quickly and with clear direction to maximize efficiency and reduce the costs associated with waste.