Rep. Ruth Briggs King

This Act clarifies the authority of the Office of Animal Welfare and Department of Agriculture to enforce all state laws relating to protection and control of animals, including dog barking laws. The Act also transfers the authority to impose and collect fines and penalties under this title to the enforcing agency. This Act takes effect on January 1, 2024.

This Act decreases the Contractor Registration Fee for contractors who do not have a state contract and have 10 or less employees from $200 per year to $100 per year.

This concurrent resolution recognizes the urgent nature of the formula shortage, and urges additional steps to address the infant formula shortage.

This resolution proclaims Thursday, May 19, 2022 as Global Accessibility Awareness Day in the State of Delaware.

This Concurrent Resolution designates the week of May 8, 2022 to May 14, 2022 as National Charter Schools Week and commends Delaware's charter public schools for their efforts in educating Delaware students.

This resolution recognizes May 2022 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Delaware.

In 1994 the 137th General Assembly created the crime of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. In the intervening decades, the length of the minimum required sentence of 3 years and 5 years for defendants with 2 prior felonies has not changed. Instead, in 2019 the 150th General Assembly removed the requirement of consecutive sentences and removed the prohibition on suspending portions of the sentence and earned good time. Felony offenses committed with firearms are some of the most dangerous and violent crimes that can be committed by criminals. The trend of leniency is not commensurate with the seriousness of the offense, nor does it adequately protect victims of crime. This Act increases the minimum penalty to 5 years and to 10 years for defendants with 2 prior felonies. This Act also restores the requirements that defendants be sentenced consecutively and prohibits suspension of the sentence. This Act is intended to enhance public safety by appropriately punishing criminal use of firearms.

The Delaware Code currently has no provisions for dementia care. This bill defines dementia care and sets forth staffing requirements for all facilities that provide dementia care, including setting minimum staffing ratios. The bill requires that staff who provide dementia care must complete dementia-specific-care training and identifies what the training must include. This bill also requires that facilities have dedicated activity staff and that activity services be offered seven days a week at least 9 hours per day while residents are awake and able to participate. This bill prohibits the use of “dementia” or “memory care” in advertising unless a facility is in compliance with the Delaware Code and associated regulations. Finally, this bill provides that the Department may promulgate and adopts rules and regulations to implement the section and the subchapter.

This Act removes the exemption for private schools and youth camps that allows them to use a name, rather than fingerprint, based background check or to choose not to do background checks at all for employees, contractors, or volunteers. The Act also provides that when the federal “rap back system” becomes available, the SBI may provide subsequent federal criminal history information for individuals who have had a background check performed. This Act also authorizes the Superintendent of State Police to promulgate regulations relating to re-use of a criminal background check. Authority is given to Department of Education to pay the costs of background checks for its employees. This bill also adds clarifications for when the Department of Education is the employer. This Act also corrects existing typos in § 309 of Title 31 and makes clarifying changes to the processing of background checks when the Department of Education is the employer.

This resolution proclaims May 2022 "Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware.