This House Joint Resolution establishes the Legislative Building Committee for the purpose of studying and recommending a plan to address the technology, security, and space needs for Legislative Hall.
The purpose of this legislation is to promote sustained economic growth and stability by establishing a fund to provide grants, loans or other economic assistance to businesses or public entities that invest in constructing, renovating or improving infrastructure for sites that will attract new businesses or expand existing businesses within the State to initiate economic development opportunities that will create a significant number of direct, permanent, quality, full-time jobs. There is intense competition between the states to attract and to keep vital businesses that create and maintain these direct, quality employment opportunities. Therefore, it is critical to expand and sustain economic growth within the State to consistently maintain readily available commercial, industrial sites to attract new business, or expand existing businesses. The delay in converting completely undeveloped sites into sites that are fully capable of conducting business may result in the loss of significant business opportunities that benefit the public. The site readiness fund will provide economic assistance to qualified businesses or public entities to renovate, construct, or improve commercial, industrial sites that are readily available to new businesses, established businesses that are considering moving to the State or existing businesses within the State that need additional sites to remain or expand within the State. To ensure fiscal accountability that site readiness funds are expended for their intended purpose, the applications will be administered in accordance with the existing regulations that govern applications made to the Strategic Fund. The Council on Development Finance will review the applications and supporting financial information to make recommendations to the Director of the Division of Small Business concerning the viability of the proposed project and whether the project meets the criteria established by this legislation to award funding. The Director has the final authority to award funding based on the Council’s recommendations and the requirements imposed by this legislation. The Director shall administer any such award in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 87A of Title 29 of the Delaware Code and the existing Strategic Fund regulations. To protect the assets of the Fund, the Director may require recapture provisions in any contract agreements for grants, loans or other economic assistance that recover for any substantial or complete cessation of operations or failure to reach any employment or other benchmarks. The Director may require the applicant to report financial statements and project progress reports to determine that expenditures on the project are consistent with the purpose of the Fund.
Many of the State’s waters do not meet water quality standards to support their designated uses, such as for drinking, swimming or supporting aquatic life. The Clean Water for Delaware Act establishes a framework for assessing needs and planning and implementing projects that support Delaware’s efforts to improve the quality of the State’s water supply and waterways. A Delaware Clean Water Trust account is created as a funding source for executing projects highlighted by this framework. The Trust account will have oversight from the Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee (the “Committee”). The Committee will draw upon recommendations from the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, (WIAC), the county Conservation Districts’, experts in the effected Cabinet agencies and other public input with the goal of assisting municipal and county governments and others in implementing affordable water quality projects. The Committee is required to develop and publish an Annual Report and multi-year Strategic Plan for Clean Water with annual updates.
This resolution congratulates the class 2019-2020 Eagle Scouts for having attained the highest rank one can earn in the Boy Scouts of America.
This bill removes the option of allowing notification to the public of candidates for Mayor and City Council by posting the names of such candidates in at least five (5) public places in the City rather than having this information published in a newspaper of local and/or general circulation; incorporates City Council's decision to move the Delaware Department of Elections' voter registration system, effective for the 2022 municipal elections; incorporates the City Council's decision to continue utilizing the "Book of Registered Voters" only for non-resident property owners; conforms the titles of the City's election officials to the titles used in Chapter 75 of Title 15 of the Delaware Code entitled "Municipal Elections"; corrects the month during which the elected officials are sworn in and the Vice Mayor elected; and removes the reference to a specific meeting during which appointments of non-elected City officials and staff are made.
This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to enable the General Assembly to designate who is responsible for providing notice of a proposed amendment to the Constitution and how the notice is disseminated. This change gives the General Assembly flexibility in the dissemination of the notice, particularly as technology advances. This Act also changes the timeframe of dissemination from 3 months to between 120 and 90 days. House Bill No. 131 implements the procedure for notice of a proposed amendment to the Delaware Constitution based on the authority granted by this Act. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI 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 Delaware Constitution.
This Concurrent Resolution establishes a date for the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters' Association (DVFA) to report findings back to the 151st General Assembly.
This Act allows retail dealers in Sussex County to sell gasoline that does not contain ethanol if the gasoline is being used in watercraft. Sussex County comfortably meets the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground level ozone and removing ethanol from marine fuel will have no significant impact on ambient ozone levels. The State of Maryland now allows the sale of non-ethanol gasoline in certain counties that are adjacent to Sussex County. Delaware currently suffers a competitive business disadvantage by not being allowed to sell non-ethanol fuel for vessels.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution continues the Motorcycle Rider Education Advisory Committee, which must meet at least quarterly to monitor the Motorcycle Rider Education Program, and assess the future needs of and recommend improvements to the Program.
This House Resolution requests each school district and charter school to release in a timely fashion a list containing the names and addresses of all graduating high school seniors to the Department of Education. The Department of Education is requested to assist the Delaware House of Representatives by compiling the lists of graduates into a single report by no later than July 15th of each year.
