This bill allows Delaware residents age 60 and older to deduct their full pensions or other qualified retirement income from State taxable income. This bill contains technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislature Drafting Manual.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates September 2024 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Delaware to highlight the importance of early detection and public education regarding the disease. The resolution does not change laws or allocate funding; instead, it serves as a formal acknowledgment to encourage awareness among residents. By officially recognizing this month, the state aims to promote discussions about screening and symptoms without imposing new requirements on individuals or organizations.
This bill creates a new chapter in Title 30 and establishes the STEM Talent Advancement and Retention Program (“STAR Program”) and the STEM Talent Advancement and Retention Fund (“STAR Fund”). The purpose of this STAR Program is to incentivize and attract individuals graduating with an associate, bachelor’s, graduate, or post-graduate degree in STEM to stay and work in Delaware. An applicant must be employed with a Delaware-based employer defined as (1) having its principal place of business in Delaware; or (2) at least 51% of its employees working at a Delaware based location; or (3) registered to conduct business in Delaware and reported Delaware tax liability in the previous year. Successful applicants will receive tax credits for education loan expenses up to a maximum of $1,000 for an associate degree, $4,000 for a bachelor's degree, and $6,000 for a graduate or post-graduate degree for up to 4 consecutive years. The award may not exceed the education loan expense incurred by the applicant. The Department of Finance shall administer the program in conjunction with the Delaware Center for Life Science Education and Training ("Center"). The Department will form a Fund Committee of 5-8 individuals that must include the Executive Director of the Center, or their designee, and individuals with knowledge and expertise in STEM employment in Delaware. The fund shall be funded on an annual basis by the General Assembly in a minimum amount of $100,000. The Department may also seek federal funds, grants, or private contributions to fund the STAR Fund. The Department may not commit to awards that exceed the amount contained in the Fund. This Act is effective 10 days following the date of publication in the Register of Regulations that funds have been appropriated to implement the provisions of this Act and Notice by the Controller General is published with the Register of Regulations. This Act is to be implemented the earlier of the following: (1) 6 months after the Act’s effective date; or (2) Notice by the Secretary of Education in the Register of Regulations that final regulations have been promulgated. This Act expires 5 years after its effective date unless otherwise provided by a subsequent Act of the General Assembly.
This Act moves the date of primary elections for statewide office, county office, and municipal office to the fourth Tuesday in April, which is the date of the presidential primary (in presidential election years). The dates for submitting and withdrawing notification of candidacy have been adjusted accordingly, as have the dates for notice of filing fees and background checks. Section 4 changes the “closed” period in which a voter is not allowed to change his or her political affiliation to match the 60-day limit in 15 Del. C. § 3189 for presidential primaries. This Act is applicable to all primary elections after December 31, 2025.
This Act codifies rights afforded to persons with disabilities that are under guardianships pursuant to Chapters 39 and 39A in Title 12 of the Delaware Code. This Act also grants persons with disabilities the ability to motion the Court of Chancery for equitable relief for any violations of these rights.
This Resolution proclaims June 19, 2024, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" in Delaware and encourages the people of Delaware to reflect upon the significant roles and many contributions of African Americans, and to celebrate this day with appropriate activities and events.
Delaware relies on fees imposed as surcharges by the criminal legal system to generate revenue for government services. These criminal fees can be an unstable revenue generator, especially when there are recessions, pandemics, or other major economic events. This Act repeals three fees that currently fund videophone systems used by state and local agencies, personnel, equipment, and training expenses related to judicial branch security, and victim notification initiatives. The elimination of these fees was recommended by the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group created by House Bill 244, as amended by House Amendment No 2, of the 151st General Assembly, in its December 7, 2023 report. The Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group also recommended replacement of lost revenue for affected agencies as needed with General Funds. In repealing these fees, the General Assembly intends to eliminate any outstanding balances owed on these fees.
This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the limitations on when an individual may vote absentee and authorizes the General Assembly to enact general laws providing the circumstances, rules, and procedures for absentee voting in this State. This Act is in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Albence v. Higgins, 2022 Del. LEXIS 377 (Del. 2022). This Act requires all absentee ballots to include an oath or affirmation that the qualified voter’s vote is free from improper influence. This oath or affirmation is in lieu of the oath or affirmation required under Section 3 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution. Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week of October 21-27, 2024, as "Free Speech Week" in Delaware to honor the First Amendment and promote awareness of free speech rights. It is a commemorative resolution that does not change laws or create new regulations but instead formally recognizes a national observance focused on the importance of free expression. The measure affects the state by encouraging public and private groups to hold events and discussions about free speech during the designated week.
This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 4, replacing Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 4. and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4. Like Senate Bill No. 4, Senate Substitute No. 1, and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4, this Act modernizes Delaware’s probation system, including by directing the courts, the Board of Parole, and the Bureau of Community Corrections to use the least restrictive probation and parole conditions and the most minimally intrusive reporting requirements necessary to achieve the goals of community supervision. This Act differs from Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4 by doing all of the following: (1) Continuing the process of updating the Delaware Code to use people-first language to refer to an individual on probation or otherwise involved in the criminal justice system. (2) Removing the prohibition on imposing a sentence of incarceration for a technical violation and the special sentencing matrix for certain technical violations. As a result, the definitions for “non-technical violation” and “technical violation” are also removed. (3) Removing the requirement that periods of incarceration imposed when probation violations are found for multiple offenses be served concurrently. (4) Removing the requirement that for a court, Board of Parole, or probation and parole officer to impose a condition that an individual on probation not possess or use alcohol or controlled substances there must be a reasonable relationship to the criminogenic needs of the individual. (5) Removing the prohibition on a probation and parole officer from pursuing sanctions for nonwilful violations of probation, which include the following: a. An individual on probation’s failure to complete a program when the program refuses to provide services, the program is cost prohibitive, or access to the program is restricted beyond the control of the individual on probation. b. An individual on probation’s failure to follow supervision conditions when the individual on probation’s medical conditions or disability prevent compliance. c. An individual on probation’s failure to report based on factors beyond the individual on probation’s control. (6) Removing the prohibition on a court finding a probation violation occurred based on criminal conduct that the court acquitted the individual on probation of or dismissed the underlying criminal charge for. (7) Removing the repeal of a provision that permits the Department of Correction to deny earned compliance credits to an individual on probation for other categories of offenses that the Department establishes by rules and regulations. The Department is statutorily permitted to deny credits for individuals on probation for a sexual offense, a violent felony, and any offense in the Delaware Code if the probation is imposed to collect restitution at Accountability Level I. (8) Removing the requirement that there be a finding that the individual on probation poses a substantial risk of injury to others or of intentionally failing to appear for a revocation hearing before a court could issue an arrest warrant or the Department could deputize officers to make an arrest. (9) Making clear that outstanding balances owed on the home confinement fee imposed under § 4332(b) of Title 11, which is repealed by this Act, are discharged. (10) Clarifying that the requirement that a court, Board of Parole, or probation and parole officer presumptively impose the least number of conditions, and least restrictive conditions of supervision, possible to achieve the goals of supervision applies only to special conditions of probation. (11) Not including any changes to § 4334 of Title 11 (relating to arrests for violation of conditions of supervision and disposition of those violations) in this Act. (12) Providing for a delay in the effect of this Act. This Act takes effect 180 days after its enactment into law. This Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
