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 decreases by 1% the rate of realty transfer tax to be received by the State, thereby returning to the rate that was applicable prior to August 1, 2017. This will be effective for documents recorded after July 1, 2022.
This bill seeks to create the Expanded Protection for Our Communities and Homes (EPOCH) Grant Program through a one-time appropriation of $20 million. The grant money would be distributed to every Delaware police agency that chooses to participate. The distribution would consist of a minimum standard allocation made to each agency and an allocation based on the number of uniformed officers authorized for each agency. EPOCH grants could be used by the recipient agencies to recruit new officers; promote or encourage careers in law enforcement; initially pay the salaries of newly hired officers; pay for overtime to facilitate additional work to address issues of local concern (including traffic enforcement); and implement programs designed to improve public safety in the area of the agency’s jurisdiction. The grant allocations would be available for the agencies to use for up to three years, after which any unused and unencumbered funding would return to the General Fund.
The Department of Agriculture recently responded to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting Delaware poultry farms in coordination with agencies and officials from Delaware, Maryland, and USDA APHIS, as well as individual farmers and independent contractors. In connection with that response, the Department received or drafted certain information regarding persons, animals, land, and emergency response plans that should be confidential. This Act will help to protect the safety and security of individuals, agricultural operations, and animals and avoid any vulnerabilities that disclosure poses on the control and eradication of disease among animal species. This Act also revises Title 29 to identify information regarding the control of disease as defined in § 106 of Title 3 as not being a public record under the Freedom of Information Act.
This Bill requires motor vehicle insurance policies, under the personal injury protection provisions (PIP), to provide coverage for up to $650 for any 1 person extricated and $1200 for all persons extricated in any 1 accident by an emergency medical services vehicle. Emergency medical services vehicle is a vehicle duly licensed in Delaware that uses rescue tools used by emergency rescue personnel to extricate the injured person from a vehicle. The Act also requires the Insurance Commissioner to develop a uniform billing form for reimbursement and that volunteer fire and ambulance companies submit financial reports regarding expenses incurred in the use of rescue tools to the State Fire Prevention Commission.
This bill increases the amount of realty transfer tax receipts transferred to the Delaware Farmland Preservation Fund to adjust for inflation. This funding amount has not been increased since 2005.
This Act creates a $280 tax credit for resident individuals with $35,000 or less of taxable income in 2022. The purpose of this Act is to encourage persons to join the labor force and to treat employed, lower income individuals similarly to how House Bill 285 exempted unemployment benefits from being taxed.
This Act extends until 2026 the requirement that agriculture and intrastate construction vehicles be registered in accordance with the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating.
This Act allows the Delaware Standardbred Breeder’s Fund Board to promulgate rules and regulations necessary or appropriate to implement or clarify the statutes related to the Standardbred Breeder’s Fund Program.
This Act recognizes the statutory authority of the Governor to act in the event of an emergency or disaster. During protracted emergencies and disasters, particularly those lasting more than 60 days, good governance requires participation by the General Assembly to approve renewal of Emergency Orders. This approval requirement may be waived only when it is not possible for both houses of the General Assembly to convene a quorum. The Governor retains the authority to terminate Emergency Orders without approval when the emergency or disaster has passed. Any new non-weather related emergency order issued within 6 months of the termination of a prior order and based upon substantially similar reasons shall be invalid unless approved by the General Assembly. Additionally, any non-weather related emergency order that requires the closure of any business, industry, religious, or non-profit facility must specifically delineate which type of business or facilities are to be closed.
