This Act elevates the charge for assaulting a postal worker acting in the lawful performance of duty from assault in the third degree to assault in the second degree.
This Act increases the size of the Governor’s Council on Agriculture from 7 to 9 members. The Act also requires that 1 member on the Council must be a livestock producer, and 1 member must be a farmer that is 40 years old or younger.
This Act adds optometrists as health care providers who are eligible for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and limits the number of health care loan provider repayment grants to 2 optometrists per year.
This Act creates a scholarship for students who have completed a Delaware Teacher Academy and are enrolled in a Delaware Educator Preparation Program. This scholarship supplements the Educator Support Scholarship and is intended to fill a $2500 funding gap for aspiring educators who are in their first year at an Educator Preparation Program. No more than 35 scholarships may be awarded. The scholarship will be expanded based on interest and funding in subsequent school years and will continue as funding is available.
This Act extends certain limitations on the publication by law-enforcement of the name and photograph of crime suspects. Currently the Code prohibits the publication of the name and photograph of a juvenile suspect unless the juvenile is charged with a violent felony and the publication is necessary to protect the public’s safety. This Act would prohibit the release or publication of an adult suspect’s name or photograph unless the individual is charged with or suspected of a felony and the release is necessary to protect the public’s safety.
House Bill No. 155 provided that State Public Integrity Commission reports be made available to the public on the Commission's website. House Substitute 1 for HB 155 clarified that reports filed with the State Public Integrity Commission, as well as those prepared by it, must be published on the Commission’s website. It also changes the effective date of the Act to January 1 after its enactment into law. House Substitute 2 for HB 155 does all of the same, as well as adds a requirement that public officers annually report in their financial disclosure report to the Public Integrity Commission, which will be published by the Commission, any travel expenses which include transportation, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage, which in aggregate total in excess of $250, paid for by any third party, not including the State. The recipient may rely on representations of value made by the source of the expense payments.
This Act is a Substitute for Senate Bill No. 13. Like Senate Bill No. 13, this Substitute Act amends Title 16 and Title 6 of the Delaware Code relating to hospital charity care and financial assistance and does the following: (1) Section 1 of the Act amends § 9311 of Title 16 to exempt certain hospitals from the existing charity care requirement and require these hospitals to comply with the new financial assistance requirements under Section 2 of this Act. A hospital that provides exclusively psychiatric services, rehabilitative services, or long-term acute care services remains subject to the charity care requirement. (2) Section 2 of the Act creates a new Subchapter VII of Chapter 99 of Title 16, §§ 9961 through 9966, establishing minimum financial assistance standards for hospitals and facility-based providers. The subchapter requires full financial assistance for Delaware residents with household income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, a 75% discount above 300% and at or below 350%, and a 50% discount above 350% and at or below 400%, and requires each hospital to maintain a medical hardship policy providing a 50% minimum discount with an income ceiling of at least 500% of the federal poverty level. Eligibility determinations are valid for at least 1 year, transfer among hospitals and facility-based providers, and suspend collection activity while an application or appeal is pending. Hospitals must provide notice in languages spoken by more than 5% of the hospital's service area, screen patients for financial assistance, report annually to the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board (“Board”), and publish a financial assistance policy addressing presumptive eligibility, the application process, Medicaid coordination, and patient refunds. The Board administers the subchapter and conducts compliance reviews, the Division of Health Care Quality may take licensure action on a finding of noncompliance, and the obligations run with the hospital license. (3) Section 3 of the Act amends § 2505J of Title 6 to prohibit a medical creditor or medical debt collector from taking extraordinary collection action against a patient who qualifies, or whom the creditor has reason to know likely qualifies, for financial assistance. (4) Section 4 of the Act amends § 2508J of Title 6 to restrict collection communications, litigation, and debt referrals or sales by a medical creditor or medical debt collector that knows or should know that a patient’s financial assistance application or appeal is pending. (5) Section 5 of the Act amends § 2511J of Title 6 to make noncompliance with the new subchapter, or a patient’s eligibility for financial assistance, a complete defense in a civil action to collect medical debt, and to bar entry of a default judgment in any such action without an affidavit from a responsible officer of the hospital attesting that the patient was offered financial assistance screening. (6) Section 6 of the Act provides that the minimum financial assistance standards under § 9962(a) and (b) of Title 16 take effect on January 1, 2027, and that all other provisions take effect on the earlier of notice by the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board, published in the Register of Regulations, that final implementing regulations have been adopted, or July 1, 2027. This Substitute Act differs from Senate Bill No. 13 as follows: (1) Alphabetizes definitions in Section 2 of this Substitute Act and makes other technical corrections throughout this Substitute Act. (2) Clarifies that hospital services do not include services provided by a facility-based provider at a location that is not the hospital, an off-campus location operated under the hospital's license or Medicare provider agreement, or a freestanding emergency department affiliated with the hospital. (3) Makes clear that financial assistance is available to a patient for the patient responsibility portion. (4) Makes clear that a hospital or facility-based provider may bill a financially qualified patient’s insurance for hospital services. (5) Requires that a hospital that issues a written eligibility notice include with the notice supporting documentation provided by the patient. (6) Provides that written notice must be in print or electronic form, as determined by the patient. (7) Provides that a patient seeking financial assistance or medical hardship must apply for financial assistance. (8) Specifies that the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board must develop regulations related to the requirement that a recipient of financial assistance must be a Delaware resident. (9) Moves the Division of Health Care Quality’s power to impose civil monetary penalties for the violation of Subchapter VII of Chapter 99 of Title 16 into § 9965 of Title 16 (within Subchapter VII of Chapter 99 of Title 16) rather than adding it to § 1007 of Title 16. As a result, the amendment to § 1007 of Title 16 contained in Section 3 of Senate Bill No. 13 is removed from this Substitute Act. The Division’s power is the same power the Department of Health and Social Services has under Chapter 10 of Title 16.
This Act amends Titles 16, 18, 29, and 31 of the Delaware Code and Chapter 237, Volume 83 of the Laws of Delaware relating to primary care insurance. Among other things, the Act does the following: Section 1 of the Act amends § 9903 of Title 16 of the Delaware Code to provide that the Health Care Commission, in coordination with the Primary Care Reform Collaborative, will monitor compliance of primary care providers with value-based care delivery models established under the Office of Value-Based Health Care Delivery (OVBHCD). Section 2 of the Act amends § 9904A of Title 16 to remove a time frame limitation for the period during which the Health Care Commission is authorized to request written reports by health insurers regarding progress in adopting and implementing value-based payment models. Under the Act, the PCRC may continue to request such reporting going forward. Section 3 of the Act amends § 329 of Title 18 to provide that administrative penalties for violations of §2503(a)(12), §2503(a)(15), § 3342B, and § 3556A of Title 18 may be equivalent to the amount of the violation, and that penalties imposed for such violations are to be deposited into a Primary Care Fund, which will be used by the Statewide Benefits Office and the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance. Section 4 of the Act amends § 334 of Title 18 to clarify that the OVBHCD has the ability to promulgate regulations necessary to accomplish the stated goals of reducing health-care costs by increasing the availability of high quality, cost-efficient health insurance products that have stable, predictable, and affordable rates. Section 5 of the Act amends § 2503 of Title 18 to extend current cost containment calculations to rate filing year 2027. Given their relative size and patient populations within Delaware's health care market, Delaware's two smallest hospitals and lone free-standing children's hospital are exempt from that extension. In rate filing year 2028 and thereafter, the Act specifies that costs per service for health benefit plans may not exceed certain Medicare Reference-Based Pricing Targets, which are based on the “Full Medicare rate,” meaning the applicable wage-adjusted base Medicare rate for different services, the Free-Standing Children’s Hospital Medicare outpatient payment rate, or the TEFRA Rate, meaning the target amount under the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) Waiver Program applicable to Free-Standing Children's Hospitals, unless certain exemptions apply. Those exemptions are for Delaware's two smallest hospitals and, if making progress with value-based care, for a Delaware hospital in a high-growth, high-Medicare population region. Carriers issuing plans in the commercial market for 2 consecutive years and that cover more than 5,000 members must meet minimum percentages of alternative payment model contracting, as specified. Section 6 of the Act amends § 3342B of Title 18 concerning primary care coverage offered by individual insurance plans. Under the Act, starting in 2026, carriers must spend at least 11.5% of their total cost of medical care on primary care, at least 5% of which must be via prospective primary care management payments. Carriers must offer value-based care programs and may not deny contracted providers the opportunity to participate in an offered value-based care program. In addition, the Commissioner is required to issue regulations regarding the calculation of total cost of care. Section 7 of the Act applies the same changes as Section 6 of the Act to § 3556A of Title 18, concerning primary care coverage offered by group insurance plans. Section 8 of the Act deletes a sunsetting clause contained in Section 14, Chapter 237, Volume 83 of the Laws of Delaware, which would have repealed § 2503(a)(12)a., § 3442B(b)(3), and § 3556A(b)(3) of title 18, effective January 1, 2027. Section 9 of the Act amends § 5204 of Title 29 to provide that health-insurance coverage for public officers and employees shall be provided by a carrier whose cost per service may not exceed certain Medicare Reference-Based Pricing Targets, which are based on the Full Medicare rate, the Free-Standing Children's Hospital Medicare outpatient payment rate, or the TEFRA Rate, unless certain exemptions apply. Those exemptions are for Delaware's two smallest hospitals and, if making progress with value-based care, for a Delaware hospital in a high-growth, high-Medicare population region. In addition, Section 9 of the Act specifies that coverage shall be provided by a carrier offering value-based care programs equivalent to the commercial market requirements. Section 10 of the Act amends §5224 of Title 29 concerning primary care coverage of insurance coverage for public officers and employees, to require plans to report data to the OVBHCD on the percentage of primary care spending as a percentage of total medical costs for plan years 2027 and 2028 and to increase spending on primary care by 1% per year thereafter until primary care spending reaches 11.5% of total medical costs. Section 11 of the Act creates §539 of Title 31, concerning state public assistance, to require entities providing health insurance under § 505(3) to report data on the percentage of primary care spending as a percentage of total medical costs for 2 plan years and, in subsequent years, increase primary care spending by 1% until primary care spending reaches 11.5% of total medical costs. Section 12 of the Act provides that the Department of Insurance shall promulgate regulations pursuant to the Act within 18 months of enactment, but shall promulgate regulations on or before January 1, 2027 establishing a methodology to determine any appropriate annual inflationary or other applicable adjustments to a hospital's Full Medicare Rate. Like Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 1, this Act differs from Senate Bill No. 1 in that it bases the limits for costs per service for health benefit plans on Medicare Reference-Based Pricing Targets, which may differ based on whether the services are outpatient services, inpatient hospital services, or emergency department services, and on whether the services are being provided by a Free-Standing Children's Hospital; under Senate Bill No. 1, the limits for cost-per-service were based on a percentage of Medicare reimbursement for comparable services. In addition, this Act provides more guidance regarding the application of exemptions from those limits. In addition, Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 1 differs from Senate Bill No. 1 in that it makes technical edits to definitions and it provides that the Department of Insurance and the State Employee Benefits Office shall lead a process, in consultation with Delaware hospitals, to recommend an appropriate methodology to determine and apply any inflationary or other applicable adjustments to a hospital's Full Medicare Rate not otherwise captured in a hospital's annual Medicare rate update by January 1, 2027. Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 1 also adds an exemption from the aggregate unit price growth limits in § 2503(a)(12)a.3. of Title 18 for a hospital that is a Free-Standing Children's Hospital, a hospital that qualifies as a Medicare-Dependent Rural Hospital on the grounds that it meets the definition of a Medicare-dependent hospital under 42 C.F.R. § 412.108 for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately preceding the applicable rate filing year, or an Urban Medicaid DSH Hospital.
This Act is a Substitute for House Bill No. 450. Like House Bill No. 450, this Substitute Act is to be known as the Reforming Opportunities and Accelerated Development for Delaware Act (“ROAD-DE Act”) and will make significant changes to Delaware’s land use permitting process by building on Governor Meyer’s Executive Order No. 18, which created the Permitting Accelerator to reform policies, processes, and procedures that have accumulated over decades and are holding back jobs, housing, and other critical infrastructure statewide. In 2019, a study of Delaware’s permitting process was undertaken. The study concluded that Delaware’s permitting process was significantly longer and more challenging than those of surrounding states in the region. In 2025, this State began digitizing permitting processes. During the initial stages of that effort, more than 52 hours of interviews with 57 stakeholders were conducted across state agencies, local governments, developers, and technical experts. Those interviews revealed that statewide delays are not driven by isolated performance issues. Rather, they stem from structural misalignment, sequential review processes, incentive distortions, and capacity constraints that compound across agencies. Delaware’s permitting process can stretch beyond 24 months, placing this State at a distinct economic development disadvantage when it comes to attracting and growing businesses. In the region, Delaware’s competitors, including Maryland and Pennsylvania, can achieve substantially faster permit approvals, making them more attractive locations for economic development and affordable housing. The 2019 and 2025 studies resulted in recommendations that the permitting process be streamlined and modified to improve accountability and eliminate redundancies within various government agencies, particularly within the Delaware Department of Transportation (“DelDOT”). To implement these recommendations, this Substitute Act, like House Bill No. 450, does all of the following: (1) Section 1 of this Substitute Act requires DelDOT to base the threshold for determining if a traffic impact study is required on peak-hour trips, not vehicle trips per day, and set the minimum peak hour trips threshold at 500 peak-hour trips for residential developments and 500 peak-hour trips, excluding pass-by trips, for all other development types. (2) Sections 2, 4, 6, and 8 of this Substitute Act require the counties and municipalities to base their threshold for determining if a traffic impact study is required on the same requirements as required for DelDOT in Section 1 of this Act. (3) Sections 3, 5, 7, and 8 of this Substitute Act provide for certain residential density requirements. (4) Section 9 of this Substitute Act requires DelDOT to deploy, operate, and maintain technological systems for the automated monitoring, analysis, and management of transportation infrastructure and traffic operations. (5) Section 10 of this Substitute Act provides that engineering studies or traffic investigations conducted by DelDOT may include automated or continuous data collection systems, remote sensing technologies, digital imaging, algorithmic analysis of traffic patterns, and other technological methods used to evaluate roadway safety, traffic operations, and infrastructure conditions. (6) Section 11 of this Substitute Act requires DelDOT to establish and collect transportation impact fees throughout this State and to use the moneys collected to fund off-site improvements to bring existing transportation infrastructure up to current State standards. Additionally, this Section requires DelDOT to use the moneys collected in the county in which the transportation impact fee was collected unless the county or the municipalities within the county fail to adopt the traffic impact study and residential density requirements under Sections 2 through 8 of this Act. This Substitute Act differs from House Bill No. 450 as follows: (1) Changes the residential density requirements provision contained in Sections 3, 5, 7, and 8 of this Substitute Act for the original Act. (2) Requires DelDOT to consult with the applicable municipal government on how to spend the money collected from the transportation impact fee. (3) Increases the amount of the surcharge DelDOT must assess on the transportation impact fee from 1% to 2%. (4) Adds the Brownfield Development Program as 1 of the programs to receive money from the surcharge assessed on the transportation impact fee by DelDOT. This Substitute Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a municipal charter, whether directly, by amendment to a specific municipality’s charter, or, as in this Act, indirectly, by a general law. This Substitute Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This Act builds upon the reputation of Delaware’s trust laws and trust services infrastructure by creating a trust company charter designed for families desiring a family trust company. This Act authorizes the formation of a new type of Delaware regulated trust company, a “family trust company,” serving a single family and its related trusts, entities, and charities. This Act further authorizes and directs the State Bank Commissioner to establish regulations, application forms, and practices that distinguish the regulatory requirements for a family trust company from commercial trust companies serving the public, based on their differing risk profiles. A principal purpose of the supervision and examination of family trust companies by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner under this Act will be to address and facilitate record-keeping, auditing and reporting, and risk management, in significant part by assisting management of family trust companies in understanding and performing their fiduciary and other legal obligations owed to the family members they serve. This Act limits family trust companies to exercising the trust company powers permitted to other State-chartered trust companies and defines the family members it may serve based on their being descended from or otherwise related to a single family member (either alone or together with their spouse) designated by the family. This Act provides for the organization, minimum capital and surplus requirements, and permissible range of license fees of a family trust company, as well as the criteria for approval of an application for a certificate of authority to establish a family trust company, and additional criteria to consider for the capital and surplus requirements of family trust companies, in order to assure their safe, sound, and effective operation. It also encourages family trust companies to be audited, requires certain insurance coverages, and provides for supervision, examination, and enforcement of their compliance with the Act and safe and sound trust company practices. This Act also requires that material trust administration occur in Delaware in instances in which the laws of Delaware are intended to govern the administration of the trust administered by a family trust company. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX 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 general corporation law.
