Rep. Kendra Johnson

This Act requires the Department of Human Resources to develop an executive branch policy restricting nepotism in state employment and prohibiting supervision of a state employee by a relative. It further requires the legislative and judicial branches, as well as offices headed by other elected officials to develop and implement comparable policies.

This Act sunsets the Provider Advisory Board (“Board”) and is a result of the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee's ("JLOSC") review of the Board. The Board was created in 2011 at JLOSC's recommendation when it reviewed the Office of Child Care Licensing ("OCCL"). The original purpose of the Board was to advise the OCCL regarding the adoption, promulgation, and amendment of rules and regulations required to carry out the Delaware Child Care Act, focusing on early care and education, family child care homes, and school age centers. In 2019, the Board's purpose was expanded to encourage OCCL to communicate with providers and encourage OCCL to enforce the Delaware Child Care Act in a manner that recognizes that most child care providers are private businesses that need stable and reasonable regulations. In 2020, both the Board and the OCCL were moved from the Department of Service for Children, Youth and their Families to the Department of Education. The move has increased the frequency of communication between licensed child care providers and agency units, including the Office of Early Learning and the Delaware Early Childhood Council. JLOSC sponsored Senate Bill No. 135 of the 152nd General Assembly, which added the Board's duties to those of the Delaware Early Childhood Council. Before and since SB 135 was enacted, the OCCL has adopted, promulgated, or amended regulations in the absence of the Board's advice. The OCCL is meeting the needs the Board was intended to address, without the Board's assistance. For these reasons, JLOSC concluded that the Board is not fulfilling its statutory duties or meeting a state need, and that the Board should be sunsetted. This Act therefore sunsets the Provider Advisory Board. Because the Extended Learning Opportunities Subcommittee included a member from the Board, this Act also replaces that member with a licensed provider that serves children not yet kindergarten age. Otherwise, sunsetting the Board would have the unintended consequence of making the subcommittee a member short. Separate legislation fulfills JLOSC's recommendation that a third center-based early care and education provider be added to the Delaware Early Childhood Council.

This Act is a result of the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee's ("JLOSC") review of the Provider Advisory Board ("Board"). Based on its findings, JLOSC recommended sunsetting the Board, which is addressed in separate legislation. This Act fulfills JLOSC's related recommendation, to add a third center-based early care and education provider to the Delaware Early Childhood Council ("DECC"). In 2023, JLOSC sponsored Senate Bill No. 135 of the 152nd General Assembly, which consolidated the functions of Board into the functions of DECC. The Board's review was held over to 2024, when JLOSC evaluated the implementation of SB 135. JLOSC concluded that consolidating the Board's duties into DECC was successful. JLOSC also concluded that, given the findings of its 2023 review of the Board and evaluation of the Board's activities since the enactment of SB 135, the Board is not meeting a state need. JLOSC therefore recommended sunsetting the Board and adding a third center-based early care and education provider to DECC. This Act fulfills the addition to DECC.

This Act is a result of the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee's ("JLOSC") review of Adult Protective Services ("APS"). JLOSC approved recommendations to modify several areas of the APS statute, Chapter 39 of Title 31. Based on the recommendations, this Act does all of the following: - Establishes timelines for when the Department of Health and Social Services ("Department") must begin an investigation after receiving a report concerning an allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult who is impaired or incapacitated. - Establishes the Department's responsibility to conduct ongoing training programs for relevant staff. - Removes the Adult Protective Services Advisory Council from section 3903, Title 31. This council is absorbed into the existing Council on Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, through separate legislation. - Modifies the reporting requirement of § 3910(a), Title 31, to specifically establish that health-care professionals have a duty to file a report with the Department when the professional has reasonable cause to believe that an adult who is impaired or incapacitated is in need of protective services; clarifies that privilege does not relieve an individual from the duty to report. - Removes language in § 3904(d)(1) regarding a fee schedule and income criteria process that the Department has not used and does not plan to institute. - Makes many technical changes to modernize and conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act is the result of a successful pilot project involving disadvantaged business enterprises in State contracts. In 2023, Section 189 of Senate Bill No. 35, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 2, authorized the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to engage in a pilot program to include Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) as part of large public works projects. If an agency elects to award based on best value, this Act allows for projects, valued in excess of $30,000,000, to be scored using DBE usage of at least 10% but no more than 30%. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This House Substitute Bill for House Bill No.387 clarifies that some or all of the objective criteria shall be assigned a specified weight in determining best value. This House Substitute bill also amends the Synopsis.

This Act changes how the Insurance Commissioner and the State Treasurer provide for distributions from taxes collected by the Insurance Commissioner to be made to fire companies or departments in Delaware. The current method for reporting, calculating, and making distributions to fire companies or departments is complex to administer and can lead to incorrect payments. This Act simplifies the reporting process and provides a new method for calculating the funds distributed to fire departments and companies in the City of Wilmington, New Castle County outside of Wilmington, Kent County, and Sussex County. Specifically, it reduces the number of payments per year from two to one, gives the Insurance Commissioner more time to ensure the accuracy of insurer-reported financial data, and establishes detailed guidelines for how the funds should be distributed to the various fire companies or departments. This Act also makes changes to the reporting requirements related to payments made by the State Treasurer to the State Insurance Coverage Office. In addition, this Act amends the requirement related to the Delaware Volunteer Firefighter’s Association (“DVFA”) annual report to the Insurance Commissioner. This requirement is being amended because contrary to what the current statute states, the Insurance Commissioner does not use the report to calculate funding under this section. DVFA is now also required to send its annual report, which details the locations, apparatuses, and equipment maintained for its member fire companies or departments, to the State Fire Prevention Commission. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act is effective January 1, 2025.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer in men. It is estimated that about 1 in 41 men will die of prostate cancer. According to ZERO Prostate Cancer, Black men face serious health care disparities regarding prostate cancer. 1 in 6 Black men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime compared to 1 in 8 men overall. Black men are also 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with, and 2.1 times more likely to die from, prostate cancer than white men.  HB 302 requires all group, blanket, and individual health insurance policies to cover prostate screening for men at risk of prostate cancer. This Substitute bill broadens the definition of “prostate screening” to include any medically necessary and clinically appropriate method for the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer, including a digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen test, and associated laboratory work. This Substitute bill also clarifies the ages at which prostate screenings must be covered, consistent with the American Cancer Society guidelines, as follows: (1) Age 50 for men at average risk of developing prostate cancer; (2) Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer, including African American men and men who have a first degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer; and (3) Age 40 for men at even higher risk for prostate cancer, including men who have more than one first degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer.  This Substitute bill also extends the effective date to health insurance policies modified after December 31, 2025, and makes technical corrections.

This Act authorizes the creation of Family Justice Centers within Delaware to provide victims of crime with a single source to obtain resources and support services.

This Act establishes a right to counsel for indigent parents in DSCYF custody proceedings. Parent representation will primarily be provided by a legal services entity contracted with the Family Court, but may also be provided by the Office of Defense Services or a private attorney appointed by the Court.

This Act does the following: (1) Makes amendments to the administration of the Ivyane Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund by removing disbursement requirements to allow more flexibility to scholarship recipients, and clarifying that scholarship funds may be used for direct or indirect educational expenses and may not be used to reduce the amount of a waiver under the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver Program. The Act also removes the 1 year residency requirement preceding application for the scholarship. (2) Makes amendments to the administration of the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver Program by codifying responsibility for administering the program with the Office of the Child Advocate (“Office”), and clarifying the responsibilities of the Office and those of the institutions of higher education. The Act clarifies that the waiver applies to both full-time and part-time students and summer and winter classes. The Act also lowers the maximum age of eligibility from 26 to 25, to bring this Program into alignment with the requirements of the Chafee Educational and Training Voucher program. Finally, the Act mandates that Ivyane Davis Scholarships and Chafee Education and Training Vouchers may not be applied to reduce the amount of the waiver and that students eligible for waivers may not apply for or take out loans to reduce the amount of the waiver. (3) Amends the Office of the Child Advocate’s duties outlined in § 9005A of Title 29 of the Delaware Code to include administration of the Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver Program. (4) Makes technical corrections for uniformity of language and to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.