Rep. Ruth Briggs King

This Act authorizes the Family Court to order the Department of Health and Social Services ("DHSS") to determine whether a child who is 17 years old or older and in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families ("DSCYF") qualifies for adult mental or behavioral health services. If the child does qualify for adult mental or behavioral health services, this Act authorizes the Family Court to order that DHSS coordinate with DSCYF to develop and implement a transition plan for mental or behavioral health services for the child.

This Act extends Family Court's jurisdiction under Chapter 50, Title 16, over a youth who has a mental condition and requires services or treatment but is not amenable to or compliant with such services. This Act applies only to youths who are under the custody of the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families when they turn 18 years old and, prior to turning 18 years old, were identified as having or diagnosed with a mental condition as defined in § 5001 of Title 16. Jurisdiction under this Act does not require DSCYF to provide foster care board extension payments or stipends to a youth. This Act has no effect on a youth reaching the age of majority at 18 years or on DSCYF's custody over a youth terminating by operation of law when the youth turns 18 years old.

This bill expands the list of felony-level contraband to include narcotics, prescription drugs, and items used to facilitate escape.

The “Advanced Wireless Infrastructure Investment Act” creates a new Chapter 16 of Title 17 that will accelerate investment in mobile broadband infrastructure and ready the State for the next wave of economic development in the digital economy. In recognition of the shift from landline to wireless communications, the Act authorizes wireless providers access to the State’s rights of way and establishes a Statewide policy for deployment of small wireless cells to meet the growing demand for wireless services which provide Delaware citizens with access to advanced technology, information and 911 services.

Under current educational standards, students are no longer required to be taught cursive writing and many schools have abandoned teaching cursive writing to students. As cursive writing is still an imperative skill in many professions, this bill makes teaching cursive writing a requirement for all public schools in Delaware.

Car theft was the primary impetus behind state codes prohibiting a motor vehicle owner to leave a car unattended with the keys in the ignition; a common habit to warm-up the vehicle during colder months. From 2013 to 2015, a total of 206 cars were stolen in Delaware due to the owner leaving the keys in the car while unattended; of these, 12 went unrecovered. Improved technology, such as remote starters, has instigated changes to these outdated statutes in several states. This Act excludes motor vehicles that are started by a remote starter or other similar device without a key in the ignition and that would be rendered inoperable without the key in the ignition or present within the vehicle.

This legislation eliminates front footage calculations as the sole method of collecting sewer assessments for county sewer users. It provides a broad list of possible methods of determining the amount of the sewer assessment for each property, including, but not limited to front footage, usage, fixtures, Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) or other factors. The methods are the same as those currently in Chapter 67 of the Delaware Code for sewer charges.

This bill clarifies that a Department of Correction's employee who has served for 25 years with at least 20 years as a correction officer is eligible to retire at 25 years.

SB 164 of the 148th General Assembly created a special license plate for professional paramedics and retired professional paramedics. This Act provides an additional officer, at the county level, to verify an applicant's eligibility for this special license plate.

This Act amends the Charter of the Town of Georgetown by establishing that registration of voters for municipal elections shall be administered and conducted by agreement with and pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Department of Elections for Sussex County. This Act further establishes the procedure for handling uncontested elections.