Rep. Bryan Shupe

This bill denies the state’s contribution to an individual’s pension if they were employed by the Department of Education of various school systems if they are convicted of various crimes against children. The acts must be in connection with the individual’s employment. Survivors of the individual shall still be entitled to survivor benefits.

This Act exempts from State income tax any income received by a full-time hourly wage-paid employee for overtime work performed in excess of 40 hours in a week. This exemption applies for taxable years beginning on January 1, 2026, and ending before January 1, 2028. This Act also requires each employer to provide information to the Division of Revenue about the total amount of overtime provided to full-time hourly wage-paid employees and the number of employees to whom overtime was paid in taxable years beginning January 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 85 proclaims the month of May 2025 as "Community Action Month" in the State of Delaware. This resolution recognizes the efforts and contributions of community action initiatives within the state.

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 prohibits a school district or charter school from selling or serving breakfast, lunch, or competitive food on campus during the school day that contains the color additive Red dye 40 (CAS no. 25956-17-6). Competitive foods are sold through the school nutrition programs, and include items sold in vending machines on campus or served a la carte. Red dye 40 (CAS no. 25956-17-6) is a synthetic food coloring derived from petroleum. It is found in food products such as cereal, beverages, gelatins, puddings, popsicles, chips, dairy products, and confections. Red dye 40 is used solely to enhance the appearance of food and does not provide any nutritional value. Consumption of Red dye 40 has been associated with hyperactivity, aggression, and other neurobehavioral problems in some children. Red dye 40 may also be linked with migraines and learning difficulties. The European Union requires a warning label to be placed on food products with Red dye 40, stating that it “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. California became the first state to pass a prohibition on the provision of and sale of foods in schools that contain Red dye 40. Presently, at least 6 other states have introduced legislation to prohibit Red dye 40 in schools. This Act is effective immediately and is to be implemented beginning July 1, 2026. The Department of Education and local education agencies will use the period leading up to the implementation date as a planning and preparation year.

This bill denies former teachers retirement and disability benefits if they were convicted of sexual abuse of a student. It also clarifies that benefits will be denied if an individual is under indictment for such an offense and remains outside the United States for more than one month to avoid prosecution.

This bill creates the Grants-In-Aid Committee. The Committee is a joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives. The purpose of the Committee is to view applications for grants-in-aid and to develop and recommend to the Joint Finance Committee the grants-in-aid appropriations bill.

This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for certain relatives seeking to terminate parental rights and adopt a child in the relative’s family who has been in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (“Department”). The right to free legal counsel applies at all stages of the termination of parental rights proceedings, including any appeals. This Act also requires the Department or a licensed agency with which the Department contracts to prepare and file the social study and report required as part of the termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings at no cost to the relative. To qualify for free legal counsel, all of the following must be true: 1. The petitioner must be a relative of the child. Relative means as defined in § 1101 of Title 13. 2. The petitioner has guardianship of the child who is the subject of the termination of parental rights and adoption petitions. 3. The guardianship order was entered in favor of the petitioner when the child was in Department custody and is in effect throughout the termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings. 4. The petitioner filed the guardianship petition that resulted in the guardianship order on or after July 1, 2026. 5. The Family Court determines that the petitioner is indigent. This Act is a substitute for and differs from Senate Bill No. 79 in 2 ways. First, it adds an indigency requirement that the petitioner must meet to qualify for free legal counsel in termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings. Second, it provides that free legal counsel for guardians seeking termination of parental rights and adoption is only available if the underlying petition for guardianship of the child is filed on or after July 1, 2026, when this Act goes into effect.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 64 designates May 2025 as "Small Business Month" in the State of Delaware. This resolution serves as a formal recognition of the importance and contributions of small businesses within the state.

The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is the percentage of electricity that utilities must source from renewables. This is presently set at 25% and will increase annually, culminating at 40% in 2035. Delaware does not currently have enough renewable energy to meet the present mandate, let alone future RPS requirements. Renewable energy is also in short supply on the regional power grid. If it is available, consumers are paying additional distribution charges to transmit it to Delaware. If renewable energy is not obtainable, Delaware utilities are paying penalties to the state for failing to achieve the RPS mandate. In each of the last two years, Delmarva Power has spent about $13 million annually in such state mandated compliance fees. All these cost multipliers are being passed along to consumers, making power more expensive for Delaware ratepayers. This bill recognizes the current flawed public energy policy that has resulted in renewable energy demand significantly outpacing supply. This legislation seeks to provide relief to Delawareans by rolling back the Renewable Portfolio Standard to 10% and maintaining the RPS requirement for the next 10 years, providing sufficient time for renewable generation capacity to meet demand. After the 10-year period expires, the RPS percentage will resume scheduled annual increases.