Rep. Mike Ramone

In December 2016, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement issued final regulations titled "Flexibility, Efficiency, and Modernization in Child Support Enforcement Programs," 81 Fed. Reg. 93,492 (Dec. 20, 2016) (codified at 42 C.F.R Pt. 433). This Act updates to whom Delaware's Division of Child Support Services can send child support payments, in compliance with the federal regulations.

This Act restores the Delaware Prescription Drug Payment Assistance Program (“Program”), which was eliminated in the Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Appropriations Act. This Act replaces Senate Bill 148 and makes the following additional changes: (1) Delays implementation of the Act until January 1, 2019, to coordinate with the Medicare Part D benefit year to enable the Department of Health and Social Services (“Department”) to make necessary system changes. (2) Makes changes to the defined term “prescription drugs.” (3) Removes provisions required to be included in rules and regulations promulgated by the Department. (4) Adds provisions that may be included in rules and regulations promulgated by the Department. (5) Makes technical corrections to conform the provisions of the restored Program to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This is a housekeeping bill to codify the existing practices with administering the Municipal Street Aid program.

This Act redefines “resident” to mean one who is legally domiciled in the State for 10 years immediately preceding October of the pretax year. This change means that one must be domiciled in the State for 10 years before one who is over the age of 65 can receive the exemption from real estate taxes provided by Subchapter II, Chapter 81, Title 9 of the Delaware Code. This change is consistent with a similar change made to the residency requirements of those who are over the age of 65 and claiming a tax credit against school taxes (See House Bill No. 99, as amended, from the 149th General Assembly; Chapter 71, Volume 81 of the Laws of Delaware). This Act also corrects language in the definition of “income.” This language operates to reference income information that is a year old at the time provided. Removing this language will mean income information for the most recent federal and state income tax years is provided. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This bill adds to the requirements for licensure as a River Pilot Apprentice that an applicant not have been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of river piloting. This bill empowers the Board of Pilot Commissioners to waive such a disqualifier to licensure if it finds that the applicant is otherwise capable of practicing in a safe and competent manner, and the granting of a waiver will not endanger the public health, safety, or welfare. This language tracks that which is already included in most Title 24 boards’ statutes. This bill also empowers the Board of River Pilot Commissioners to discipline any licensee who is convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of river piloting after obtaining licensure, and to discipline any licensee who has a river pilot license disciplined by another jurisdiction. This language also tracks that which is already included in most Title 24 boards’ statutes.

This Act creates a training minimum wage and a youth wage that is not more than $0.50 less than the minimum wage rate that becomes effective January 1, 2019. The increase in the minimum wage to $8.75 is also effective January 1, 2019.

This Act provides supplementary appropriations to certain Grants-in-Aid for Fiscal Year 2019. Section 1 – Government Units and Senior Center $24,685,721 Section 2 – One-Times and Community Agencies $20,386,744 Section 3 – Fire Companies $6,760,542 Section 4 – Veterans Organizations $312,631 GRAND TOTAL $52,145,638

This Act promotes diversity of housing in Delaware by acknowledging that not all residential units warrant the same Voluntary School Assessment. Currently, single family residential subdivision projects are subject to the same per unit Voluntary School Assessment as an apartment project, regardless of size and number of bedrooms. The current framework can place an undue burden on multi-family and smaller unit residential projects. This Act seeks to mitigate this burden for redevelopment plans by eliminating the Voluntary School Assessment for one-bedroom apartment units, such that the per unit Voluntary School Assessment would be charged only for each residential unit containing two or more bedrooms, and further by reducing the Voluntary School Assessment cap to 2.5 percent of the total cost of the residential unit. This Act further recognizes that relief in support of the above-mentioned policy is most appropriate for redevelopment projects where any financial burden on the school system potentially caused by reducing the Voluntary School Assessment is mitigated by taxes previously paid to the school district for the prior development.

The Act made changes to motor vehicle franchising practices, by doing the following: (1) Prohibiting a new motor vehicle manufacturer from recovering its costs for compensating its dealers for recalls or warranty parts and service by reducing the amount due to the dealer or imposing a charge. (2) Establishing the process for and method of compensating a dealer for a recall related to a used motor vehicle. (3) Providing a process by which a dealer may protest a franchise termination with the Public Service Commission. (4) Protecting consumer data. (5) Making technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Substitute Act incorporates these changes and makes an additional change to § 4903(b) of Title 6.

This Resolution provides the official revenue, refund, and unencumbered funds estimates for Fiscal Year 2018.