The Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF) is charged with providing transitional and independent living services for youth ages 14 to 21. The Division of Family Services (DFS) contracts for case management services for youth ages 16 to 21, with services designed to promote self-sufficiency and responsible living for young adults who are aging out of foster care. Participants receive life skills training and personal development, mentoring, tuition assistance, and support with transitional housing. Participants may also qualify to receive needs-based stipends through ASSIST (Achieving Self Sufficiency & Independence through Supported Transition) to help with living expenses. DFS recently changed the name of the Independent Living Program to the “Transitional and Independent Living Program” to better reflect the comprehensive nature of services offered to youth. This bill updates references to the program to include “transitional” and independent living services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provided additional funding to support young adults who were eligible for independent living services until age 27. The intent was to provide additional support for youth and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on their housing and employment status. DFS exercised this additional funding authority via a mandatory directive from the DFS Director. While the mandatory directive provision expanding services expired in October 2021, DFS decided it would continue providing independent living services for youth until age 23 because of the success observed on behalf of youth. This mandatory directive provision will expire in September 2022, and this bill will grant DFS the statutory authority to continue providing transitional and independent living services for youth until age 23. Expanding independent and transitional living services from age 21 to age 23 better aligns with case management requirements of housing assistance programs, will support youth with transitioning from post-secondary education programs into the workforce, and will help maintain a longer connection to youth required to complete federal reporting for DFS.
Sponsored bills
In 2000, the United States Federal Drug Administration ("FDA") first approved the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy ("REMS") for Mifeprex; and approved the generic version of Mifeprex, Mifepristone, in 2019. A regimen approved by the FDA in 2016 for Mifeprex and Mifepristone includes the use of Misoprostol. Under the REMS approved by the FDA, healthcare providers who wish to prescribe Mifepristone, Misoprostol, or Mifeprex must complete a Prescriber Agreement before ordering and dispensing the medication. Physicians assistants and advanced practiced registered nurses (APRNs) are healthcare providers who are eligible to prescribe these medications under the REMS. This bill allows physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe medication for the termination of pregnancy including Mifeprex, Mifepristone, and Misoprostol.
Recognizing that a criminal charge can have lasting collateral consequences for a juvenile on employment and education opportunities, this bill raises the age in which a juvenile’s information, such as their name and mug shot, may be released by the state. The bill also seeks to address issues related to the release of such information on publicly-maintained social media pages. This bill seeks to balance both the rights of juveniles and the public’s right to know by saying that the names and photos of juveniles who have been charged and/or found delinquent of Class A misdemeanors, and Title 11 felonies, may only be released when the offending juvenile is 16 or older. This legislation also adds clarifying language to prevent the inadvertent release of sensitive information online that could have lasting impacts on a juvenile long after they have been charged, and in some cases, acquitted, of a crime.
This Act lowers the tax rate for premium cigars from 30% to 15% of the wholesale price so that Delaware's tax rate is consistent with the tax rates for premium cigars in surrounding states. The tax rate in Maryland is 15% and there is no tax on premium cigars in Pennsylvania. Under this Act, a premium cigar means any roll for smoking that is all of the following: 1. Made entirely of tobacco, including the wrapper, binder, and filler. 2. Hand rolled. 3. Contains no filter, tip, or any mouthpiece consisting of material other than tobacco, or any additional flavoring. This Act takes effect on October 1 following its enactment into law. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
The Act, which shall be known as the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program, creates a “relief rebate” which is a one-time direct payment of $300 per Delaware resident taxpayer. This relief is intended to help Delawareans grappling with significant inflation at the grocery store and gas pump. Payment of the $300 will be made by the Delaware Department of Finance to resident individual income taxpayers who filed a 2020 personal income tax return. This payment will be made to each taxpayer, including those who jointly filed. No action on the part of a taxpayer is required to receive the $300. In order to quickly provide this payment to Delaware taxpayers, provisions pertaining to tax intercepts by other government entities and Delaware State agencies shall not apply. The amount received by individual taxpayers will not be subject to Delaware income taxes. Any written protest for the disallowance of the payment of the $300 relief rebate under this Act shall be processed consistently with existing provisions in Title 30. Records of the Department with respect to the provisions of this Act are subject to existing protections from disclosure under Delaware laws. A timely filed tax return includes extensions. This Act also temporarily suspends the limitation on refunds of taxes under Title 29 of the Code until DEFAC refund estimates include the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program. Costs associated with the administration and issuance of payments under this Act will be funded by delinquent tax revenue authorized to be retained by the Department of Finance in the annual budget act. Finally, this Act requires the Department of Finance to establish a process to provide the relief rebate to resident adults who did not file a 2020 state income tax return by identifying adult residents through existing databases held by other state agencies, such as the Division of Motor Vehicles. The Department of Finance will then work with the Department of Technology and Information to implement a process by which eligible residents who have not been identified by other means can apply for and receive the relief rebate, subject to verification of their identity and eligibility.
This resolution recognizes April 11-17, 2022 as "Black Maternal Health Awareness Week" in Delaware.
This Resolution recognizes April 2022 as "Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware.
This Act clarifies the responsibilities of manufactured home community owners and homeowners for maintenance. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This Act pauses the granting of new school charters and modifications to charters in New Castle County and creates a New Castle County Charter School Reform Advisory Group (Advisory Group), to review the process and criteria for granting new charter schools and modifications to charters, and to recommend process improvements and new criteria that will improve equity and better integrate charter schools into the overall public school system for children in kindergarten through grade 12 in New Castle County. The Advisory Group's final report is due by December 1, 2022. In addition, under this Act, effective March 1, 2022, the Department of Education may not, for a school in New Castle County, grant a new school charter or a modification to a charter until January 1, 2024. This moratorium provides an opportunity to review how the current process and criteria for granting charters can be improved for New Castle County and for decisions on future charter applications to be based upon changes implemented based on the recommendations of the Advisory Group.
This Concurrent Resolution recognizes Ramadan and Muslim residents of this State as they observe Ramadan.