Rep. Melanie George Smith

This Substitute Bill makes the following changes to House Bill No. 287: 1. It changes the name of the new diploma to a "Diploma of Alternate Achievement Standards" instead of a "Diploma of Modified Performance Standards." 2. It adds a requirement that a student must be eligible to take a statewide alternate assessment to receive the new diploma. 3. The Act takes effect in the academic year after enactment.

This concurrent resolution proclaims the month of April, as “Nonprofit Impact Month” to affirm the importance of organizations in the nonprofit sector and the impact of their work for every citizen in our State, to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, and to acknowledge our ongoing responsibility to support a robust social impact sector for citizens, communities, and economic development across the State.

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes April 10, 2018, as "Equal Pay Day".

This House Concurrent Resolution designates March 27, 2018 "Girl Scout Day" in the State of Delaware.

This Resolution recognizes March 19th as Celebrating Women in Public Office Day in Delaware.

This Bill is the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriation Act.

This bill creates a tax deduction of up to $2,500 for an individual or $5,000 for a married couple for contributions to a qualified 529A savings account, or "ABLE" plan - a special account for meeting the needs of certain individuals with disabilities. The deduction may only be claimed by a taxpayer who makes less than $125,000 or a married couple who makes less than $250,000. It is applicable only to ABLE plans sponsored by the State of Delaware or offered by a consortium of states of which Delaware is a member.

This Act will allow a retired Delaware attorney to satisfy a mortgage that the attorney paid off while in practice. Currently only attorneys still in active practice are permitted to satisfy mortgages under Section 2120. This limitation can leave no practicable way to satisfy a mortgage for which the lender fails to record a satisfaction as required by State law if the attorney who paid off the mortgage subsequently retires. This Act will also expand the scope of Section 2120 to include partial releases of a mortgage where a Delaware attorney made a partial payment to release a portion of the mortgaged property.

This Act allows professional licensing boards and commissions administered by the Division of Professional Regulation to recognize military education, training, and experience of all current and former military personnel when reviewing credentials and issuing licenses. This is a change from the current law, which only allows such boards and commissions to do so for active duty military, members of the National Guard, or military reserves assigned to a duty station in Delaware. This change would recognize the military education, training, and experience of individuals who are retired, a veteran, or are active duty individuals assigned to duty stations located outside this State.

This Act will improve guidelines for training by school districts and charters as it pertains to School Resource Officers (SRO), their duties and training when interacting with students with disabilities. The limitations and prohibitions described in this section are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other constitutional, statutory, or regulatory rights otherwise conferred by federal or state law or regulation.