Rep. Bill Bush

Maddy summarySCR 90 designates the week of June 9-15, 2025, as "Men's Health Week" in Delaware. This ceremonial resolution does not create new laws or allocate funding; it simply establishes a designated period for raising awareness about men's health issues. The resolution directly affects Delaware residents by encouraging state and community organizations to host events or promote resources during that week. It has no binding legal effect beyond the symbolic recognition of the week.

This resolution recognizes July 10, 2025, as "Black Women's Equal Pay Day" in the State of Delaware and encourages all Delawareans to join in recognizing the contributions Black women have made in every aspect of life, and the sacrifices they have made to champion equality.

This Act updates Title 11 of the Delaware Code concerning postconviction remedies relating to DNA testing and evidence. Specifically, the Act removes the limitations currently in the Delaware Code (1) that a person convicted of a crime must seek DNA testing within 3 years after the conviction is final and (2) that a person convicted of a crime may not seek DNA testing or a new trial based on DNA evidence if direct appellate review is available. In addition, the Act requires the court to grant a motion for the performance of DNA testing if certain criteria are satisfied. The Act also permits persons who entered a guilty plea, in addition to persons convicted of a crime, to seek DNA testing, and allows for DNA testing where evidence was previously subjected to testing but additional testing of that evidence provides a reasonable likelihood of results that are more probative. The Act changes the standard applicable for a motion for a new trial based on DNA evidence. Instead of requiring a showing by clear and convincing evidence that no reasonable trier of fact would have convicted the person, the under the Act, the court must grant a new trial up a showing of a reasonable probability that there would have been a different outcome or no conviction, had the DNA evidence been presented before or during trial or before the date of entry of a plea. Finally, the Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act is a substitute for and differs from Senate Bill 57 in that it clarifies that the DNA testing may be performed on evidence secured in relation to the investigation, and is not limited to evidence secured in relation to the trial. In addition, this Act removes a requirement that the movant show that the evidence was not previously subject to testing because the technology for testing was not available at the time of trial. Finally, this Act requires the court to grant a new trial if the standard is satisfied, rather than leaving it to the court's discretion.

This Act codifies the longstanding custom and practice in Delaware of compensating Deputy Attorneys General and Assistant Public Defenders comparably. This Act is also consistent with the American Bar Association’s Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System which states: “The compensation for lawyers working for Public Defense Providers should be appropriate for and comparable to other publicly funded lawyers. Full-time public defender salaries and benefits should be no less than the salaries and benefits for full-time prosecutors.” Finally, this Act codifies the continuing belief in Delaware that comparable compensation is necessary to achieve equal justice under law.

This Act delays the effective date of changes made to the trade name registration process made by Senate Bill No. 291 of the 152nd General Assembly and House Bill No. 40 of the 153rd General Assembly. The Act also directs the Department of Revenue to conduct outreach to affected agencies and customers regarding the pending changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution officially designates May 25, 2025, as “Africa Day” within the State of Delaware.

Section 4 of this Act requires a paid elected official or paid appointed official of this State or any political subdivision of this State (“official”) who is also employed by a state agency or a political subdivision of this State to disclose the dual employment to the Public Integrity Commission (“Commission”). This disclosure will assist the Commission and the State Auditor in evaluating if the official is receiving dual public compensation for coincident hours of work and requires the Commission to report to the official’s employer of any finding of dual compensation. Sections 1 through 3 of this Act make technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including by creating definitions to ensure consistent usage of terms and by redrafting existing law to use active voice to ensure clarity of duties and obligations of officials and state agencies or political subdivisions of this State that employ officials. Section 5 of this Act makes clear that an individual serving as an official on the effective date of this Act must disclose any dual employment within 15 days after the enactment of this Act. Section 6 of this Act provides that this Act takes effect 1 year after the Act’s enactment into law.

This Act updates the law relating to the termination of utility services to a dwelling unit by adopting and expanding state regulations concerning the termination of heating and cooling services. Among other things, this Act does the following: 1. Prohibits a utility company from terminating any services outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. 2. Prohibits a utility company from terminating any services from December 21 of each year to January 1 of the following year. 3. Prohibits a utility company from terminating heating services for nonpayment to a dwelling unit when the temperature is at or below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Prohibits a utility company from terminating cooling services when the Heat Index is equal to or exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. Requires 14 days written notice be given to a dwelling unit prior to termination of services for nonpayment of bills during the heating or cooling season. 6. Requires the utility company to make at least 3 attempts to contact the occupant of a dwelling unit by telephone, text message, or email prior to termination of services for nonpayment during the heating season, including one attempt that must be after 5 p.m. 7. Requires the utility to make at least 1 attempt to contact the occupant of a dwelling unit by telephone, text message, or email prior to termination of services for nonpayment during the cooling season. 8. Requires that the 14 days written notice include information about payment plans, government assistance programs, and other ways termination of services may be deferred. 9. Imposes a civil penalty of up to $1,000 in lieu of a misdemeanor. This Act also expands the scope of utility termination laws to include the termination of utilities run by municipal electric companies. Municipalities that use municipal electric companies will be responsible for adopting ordinances to enforce utility termination laws within the municipality. Among other things, House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 62 differs from House Bill No. 62 by including additional times when shutoff of utilities is prohibited; removing the provision prohibiting shutoffs for occupants receiving certain benefits; and clarifying certain notice requirements.

This Act requires an institution of higher education that receives funding from this State to keep and provide records for an elected or appointed official who is employed by the institution of higher education. The University of Delaware and Delaware State University are to comply with this Act for employees who are paid in whole or in part with State funds. If the State Auditor finds that an institution of higher education is knowingly in violation of this Act, the State Auditor may impose an administrative penalty on the institution of higher education and shall report the violation and amount of administrative penalty imposed to the Public Integrity Commission, Department of Justice, and the Office of the Controller General.

This Act amends Title 6 by adding "lease-purchase property" to the Delaware Lease-Purchase Agreement Act. Pursuant to the Act, "lease-purchase property" means personal property that is owned by the lessor at the time it is displayed and offered for lease-purchase to the consumer. The Act provides that, for lease-purchase property offered online and available for online sale or sale by e-commerce, a lessor may satisfy the lessor's disclosure obligations under § 7606(c) by electronic disclosure. Similarly, for personal property, other than lease-purchase property, that is offered for lease-purchase by a lessor, the lessor must disclose electronically the cash price of the item and the amount of the lease payment and the total amount of lease payments necessary to acquire ownership. These disclosures must be made before any of the disclosures required by § 7603 of the Delaware Lease-Purchase Agreement Act. Finally, the Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.