This Act redefines “resident” to mean one who is legally domiciled in the State for 10 years immediately preceding October of the pretax year. This change means that one must be domiciled in the State for 10 years before one who is over the age of 65 can receive the exemption from real estate taxes provided by Subchapter II, Chapter 81, Title 9 of the Delaware Code. This change is consistent with a similar change made to the residency requirements of those who are over the age of 65 and claiming a tax credit against school taxes (See House Bill No. 99, as amended, from the 149th General Assembly; Chapter 71, Volume 81 of the Laws of Delaware). This Act also corrects language in the definition of “income.” This language operates to reference income information that is a year old at the time provided. Removing this language will mean income information for the most recent federal and state income tax years is provided. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Sponsored bills
This Act allows the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to lease historic structures on State public lands to individuals or corporate entities. The lessee would be required to renovate and maintain the structure up to the applicable National Park Service Secretary of Interior Standards, would be permitted to insure the property and are eligible for Land and Historic Resource Tax Credits. DNREC is required adopt any necessary rules and regulations to implement the Act and may require the lessee to abide by any other lease conditions or commitments, including specific expenditure requirements, which the DNREC deems advisable for the public good. This Act will ensure that DNREC has the authority to enter into curatorship agreements for historic properties in grave need of restoration. It clarifies that DNREC’s Resident Curatorship program which has operated for over a decade is not in conflict with Delaware Landlord Tenant Code and allows for private investment that will revert to the State of Delaware at the conclusion of the agreement. Currently there are four historic Delaware State Park properties available through the program to potential curators and the program has saved three historic structures through curatorship’s at Lums Pond, Cape Henlopen and Fort DuPont State Parks.
Currently, the ability of the Department to take licensure action (i.e., suspension, revocation, limitation) is, in certain cases, contingent upon the public school employer first taking employment action (i.e., dismissal, termination). The Department believes that its ability, as the agency issuing professional teaching credentials to educators, to undertake licensure action should be separate from any action by the public school employer. Further, the Department seeks to expand the circumstances in which the Secretary may automatically suspend teaching credentials, specifically to include situations involving felony crimes against a children or where there is a clear and immediate danger to student safety or welfare. This bill removes the requirement of employment action before disciplinable offenses may be handled by the Department, making this licensure disciplinary structure consistent with how other licensed professions are handled in this State. The bill also creates the power to impose temporary emergency suspensions in those rare instances where a teacher poses a threat to student health, safety, or welfare. Finally, this bill creates the confidential letter of concern that is non-disciplinary and may be used in those instances where a teacher’s behavior is not in violation of the code, but indicative of a practice that is a matter of concern. These two provisions also make teacher licensure discipline more similar to other licensed professions in the State.
This Bill amends the Charter of the Town of Smyrna in the following ways: Section 1 removes the Board of Assessment from the list of Boards the Town can appoint. Section 2 replaces the appointment of a Board of Assessment with a Tax Assessor, which may be a qualified individual or entity. Section 2 eliminates language regarding the swearing in of the Board of Assessment and replaces references to the Board of Assessment with Tax Assessor. Section 3 replaces references to the Board of Assessment with Tax Assessor. Section 4 replaces references to the Board of Assessment with Tax Assessor and requires the Tax Assessor to be available to answer questions and provide information on the date of assessment appeals. Section 5 increases the timeframe for repaying short term borrowings from five years to fifteen years. Section 5 states that expenditures not secured by the full faith and credit of the town are exempt from the requirements of section 13 and that the Town Council may adopt an ordinance authorizing the Town Manager to borrow up to $100,000 without a Resolution of the Town Council approving the borrowing.
This Act allows an agency, as defined in § 6902 of Title 29, (“agency”) to accept electronic bid submissions and on-line bidding for contracts procuring material and nonprofessional services. This Act also expands the use of electronic bid submission and on-line bidding to be used for large public works contracts and large professional service contracts by the Office of Management and Budget or an agency. This Act also makes the Section of Government Support Services in the Office of Management and Budget responsible for administering the State’s centralized contract development, solicitation, evaluation, and contract administration system on behalf of all agencies. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Section 1 of this Act provides that the Director of Revenue shall make tax returns available via the Internet on or before January 15 of each tax year. Section 2 of this Act clarifies that a judgment lien, as opposed to the underlying judgment, filed by the Division of Revenue continues for 20 years. This makes the statutory language consistent with applicable case law. Section 3 of this Act authorizes the Division of Revenue to enter into agreements to share information with agencies on whose behalf the Division receives and processes tax returns and payments. Section 4 of this Act provides that estimated tax payments will not be required unless the taxpayer expects to owe more than $800. Sections 5 and 6 of this Act provide that licensees who operate amusement and vending machines are not obligated to affix a license to the machines because the Division of Revenue has not issued vending machine stamps for many years because of the cost to have them printed. Section 7 of this Act provides that if any of the provisions are found to be unconstitutional, the remaining provisions will stand. Section 8 of this Act provides that Section 4 of this Act applies for tax years commending after December 31, 2017.
This bill provides for a residential electrician license. A residential electrician license allows for a person to conduct residential electrical work without having to be under the direct onsite supervision of a licensed master electrician, master electrician special, limited electrician, limited electrician special or journeyperson electrician. Electricians with a residential electrician license are permitted to perform electric work performed on or within a residential dwelling or building prior to the dwelling or building being connected to the electric grid, or work to or beyond the breaker panel or fuse box in a residential dwelling or building, or residential low voltage electric work.
This Act expands the total number of vice-chancellors on the Court of Chancery to 6 and makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This legislation requires that all full-time employees of the State, including employees of school districts, continuously in the employ of the state for at least one year, shall be eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave upon the birth or adoption of a child 6 years of age or younger. Both parents would be eligible for such leave. Employees shall continue to have the right, as they do under current law, to use accrued sick leave for maternity and paternity purposes. This legislation leaves intact the rights of persons adopting a child over 6 years of age to take unpaid leave. Due to lack of adequate paid family leave policies, many parents must return to work sooner than is optimal for the health of mothers (in the case of biological birth) and children. Granting paid leave will contribute to the establishment of parent-child bonds, breastfeeding establishment, and allow infants to receive vaccines and develop stronger immune systems prior to entering daycare. Further, a more generous leave policy will increase the productivity of workers and reduce employee turnover. This Act takes effect January 1, 2019. The Office of Management and Budget is directed to establish guidelines for the implementation of this Act.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution establishes a Veterans Sub-Committee of the Correction & Law Enforcement Committee of the State’s Behavioral Health Consortium.