Rep. Kerri Harris

This House Substitute for House Resolution No. 19, like the original, changes the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 153rd Assembly by permitting remote attendance and participation by members at a special session, so long as a quorum of the House is physically present in Dover. Authorization of the Speaker of the House is required for remote participation. The definition of “special session” in this substitute differs in that for purposes of remote participation by a member, it is only allowed “during any portion of the calendar year that does not fall between the second Tuesday in January and the first day of July.” The original House Resolution would have included a special session after 5:00 p.m. on June 30 as well. The definition of “special session” includes a convening of the General Assembly under § 16 of Article III of the Delaware Constitution. This substitute also differs from the original in that if the Speaker denies a request to participate remotely, the Speaker must include the reason for the denial in the Speaker’s written response. It also requires that a member participating remotely must appear on camera when voting or responding to an attendance roll call.

This Act requires the Division of Public Health (“Division”) to create a website where Delaware residents can find out the level of PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” in their public drinking water systems. This Act also requires the Division to notify public water utilities if the PFAS in their water exceeds certain limits, known as maximum containment levels, or MCLs. Water companies receiving this notice from the Division must then notify their customers that the PFAS levels in their water exceed the MCLs. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that PFAS, which are a class of chemicals that do not break down naturally, are linked to certain cancers, liver problems, thyroid issues, low birth weights and birth defects, decreased immunity, and other serious health issues. Children may be particularly susceptible to negative health outcomes from PFAS exposure, with some research linking high PFAS levels in children to developmental problems and reduced effectiveness of vaccines. Although Delaware is currently working toward making PFAS information available to consumers as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the federal rule that requires water systems to report on PFAS does not require them to do so until 2027, and water systems will not face consequences for exceeding MCLs until 2029. By providing everyone who uses public drinking water systems with the ability to determine the level of PFAS in their water prior to 2027, and to be notified when levels exceed MCLs, this Act empowers Delaware residents to advocate for safer water. This Act takes effect 90 days after its enactment into law.

With 60% of U.S. households living paycheck to paycheck, 40% of Americans having less than $300 in savings, 33% of Americans having saved nothing for retirement, 95% of Americans having not saved enough for retirement, and 87% of American teens admitting not understanding their finances, financial literacy education in Delaware high schools is needed. This Act, which may be cited as “The Equity and Inclusion in Financial Literacy for All High School Students in Delaware Act”, requires high schools to provide, at a minimum, a 1/2 credit on financial literacy. And, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2026 through 2027 school year, successful completion of the credit will be required to obtain a high school diploma. This Act requires the credit to include instruction which meets the financial literacy standards for high school students adopted by the Department of Education. This substitute corrects a reference from "course" to "credit" in the synopsis.

Delaware currently permits the nonprobate transfer of bank accounts, investments, and vehicles. This Act provides a mechanism for the nonprobate transfer of real estate without requiring the creation of a revocable trust. This is done by permitting an owner of an interest in real estate to execute and record a transfer on death (“TOD”) deed designating a beneficiary who will automatically receive the real estate on the owner's death. During the owner's lifetime the beneficiary of a TOD deed has no interest in the real estate and the owner retains full power to transfer or encumber the real estate or to revoke the TOD deed. This Act is a Substitute for House Bill No. 147. Like House Bill No. 147, this Act adopts the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act authored by the Uniform Law Commission. The Uniform Law Commission “provides states with non-partisan, well-conceived and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law.” The Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act has been enacted in 19 states (including Virginia), the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a substantially similar law has been enacted in 10 additional states. The Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act is pending before 6 state legislatures (including New Jersey and Maryland). In adopting the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, this Act, like House Bill No. 147, also makes the following changes to the uniform law and Delaware law: (1) Provides clarity that a transfer on death deed controls over any contrary instruction in a will to transfer the same real property. (2) Provides in the optional forms included in this Act, which may be used to create a transfer on death deed or revoke a transfer on death deed, that a transferor is a grantor and a beneficiary is a grantee. This change is made to assist the Recorders of Deeds in integrating the forms in their computerized databases. (3) Authorizes the Registers of Wills to adopt a form to be used by a beneficiary to provide notice of the death of a person whose real property has transferred to the beneficiary by a transfer on death deed. (4) Authorizes a beneficiary to file with a Register of Wills the death certificate of a person whose real property has transferred to the beneficiary by a transfer on death deed. (5) Makes abundantly clear that which is already permitted under the law of this State, that a person may obtain from the Office of Vital Statistics a death certificate to establish their legal right to real property and may disclose that death certificate to a Register of Wills to prove the person’s legal right to real property. This Act differs from House Bill No. 147 as follows: (1) By providing that an owner of real property may transfer the property only to an individual. (2) By making clear that a transfer on death deed, including all signatures required to execute a transfer on death deed, must be notarized. (3) By requiring a transfer on death deed be witnessed by 2 individuals, at least 1 of whom must not be a beneficiary. (4) By requiring a revocation of a transfer on death deed be witnessed by 2 individuals and making a conforming change to the optional form. (5) By making changes to the optional transfer on death deed form in this Act to do the following: a. Making clear a mailing address is required for a beneficiary. b. Making clear on the deed how the deed may be revoked. c. Bolding the acknowledgement related to the effect a transfer on death deed has on a contrary instruction in a will and rewriting this acknowledgement in plainer language. An owner’s transfer of real property to a beneficiary by a transfer on death deed controls over a contrary instruction in a will that is prepared before or after the transfer on death deed. d. Requiring printed names and signatures for owners and witnesses and updating the form to make clear 2 witnesses are required. (6) By making clear that the Court of Chancery has jurisdiction over challenges to the validity or revocation of a transfer on death deed. (7) By relocating Section 5 of this Act to another chapter in the Insurance Code and making other changes to conform the language to existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 64 requires Delaware school boards to provide remote access for public participation in meetings, directly affecting school board members and community residents. The bill mandates that meetings include a functional online platform - such as live streaming or video conferencing - allowing the public to view proceedings and submit comments remotely. This change ensures that residents who cannot attend in person, including those with mobility challenges or during emergencies, can engage with school governance. The provision applies to all regular and special school board meetings under Delaware law. It focuses on practical accessibility without altering school policies or funding.

This House Joint Resolution directs the Department of Health and Social Services (“DHSS”) to explore participating in the federal Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). The RMP is an option that states may incorporate into their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure that SNAP recipients who are senior citizens, disabled, or unhoused, or other eligible family members of those participants, may use their SNAP benefits to buy hot foods or hot prepared meals. These populations may otherwise experience barriers that prevent them having the opportunity to access a nutritious and sustaining meal. This Joint Resolution also requires DHSS to provide a report to the General Assembly as to its findings.

This Act updates the Board of Nursing’s enabling act to allow the Board to issue confidential letters of concern to licensees who have acted in manner warranting concern but have not violated the Board’s statute or regulations. The purpose of the letter of concern is to encourage the licensee to improve such practice. The bill further allows the Board to require any licensee who receives 3 or more letters of concern to appear before the Board for a hearing to assess the licensee’s competency, at which time the letters of concern would no longer be confidential.

This Act expands the definition of the “practice of dental hygiene” under Title 24 (Professions and Occupations) to include the administration of local anesthesia under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist and directs the State Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene (“Board”) to establish the necessary requirements and standards. Currently, Delaware is the only state in the nation that does not allow dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia. Delaware also suffers from a shortage of dental care providers, leaving many Delawareans unable to access timely, quality, affordable dental care. Administering local anesthesia is a task that properly trained dental hygienists can do safely, as shown by the experiences of every other state. Expanding dental hygienists’ scope of practice to allow them to administer local anesthesia under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist will enable them to provide a broader range of services to patients and take some of the burden off the state’s limited supply of dentists. Section 4 of this Act requires the Board to adopt regulations setting the requirements and standards to allow dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia under direct supervision of a licensed dentist no later than January 1, 2026. Section 5 of this Act provides that Sections 1 through 3 of this Act are effective on either January 1, 2026, or when the State Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene publishes final regulations implementing the Act, whichever is earlier. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Joint Resolution directs the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to obtain an architectural report of Kingston-upon Hull to consider estimated costs to either restore or stabilize the property. The resolution further directs the report consider future use of the property and recommend a course of action for the property.

This Act provides that March 9 will be known as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day and will be commemorated in this State by appropriate ceremonies to honor the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion members. In commemorating such a day, citizens are encouraged to write and mail letters to family, friends, military personnel, and veterans to recognize postal employees and the important service these employees provide in connecting us to each other.