Rep. Raymond Seigfried

This bill creates a financial incentive for employers to train and retain apprentices in apprenticeship programs. The purpose of this financial incentive is to encourage employers to create employment opportunities in Delaware and to train Delaware’s workforce to qualify for those employment opportunities.

This bill establishes the crimes of possession of an unfinished firearm frame or receiver with no serial number, possession of and manufacturing a covert or undetectable firearm, possession of and manufacturing an untraceable firearm, and manufacturing or distributing a firearm using a three-dimensional printer. This bill also makes it a crime to possess a firearm frame or receiver with a removed, obliterated, or altered serial number.

This bill allows the Department of Correction to implement prison nurseries, which would allow women inmates that give birth during their time incarcerated the option of raising their infant up to the age of 18 months. Studies have shown that prison nurseries allow a mother and child to bond during this critical time of infancy and in turn lowers recidivism rates of these women inmates. This bill would further take the burden off of the foster care system and reduce the damage done between the mother and child relationship as a result of imprisonment.

This bill increases the fines for littering.

This bill requires that inadvertent out-of-network services be included in individual and group health insurance policies as well as group and blank health insurance policies. This bill defines inadvertent out-of-network services are those services that are covered under a policy or contract of health insurances, but are provided by an out-of-network provider in an in-network facility, or when in-network health care services are unavailable or not made available to the insured in the facility. Inadvertent out-of-network services also includes laboratory testing ordered by an in-network provider but performed by an out-of-network laboratory.

This Act fully exempts county property taxes and local school taxes for a disabled veteran with a 100% VA rated service-connected, permanent and total disability or for a disabled veteran who is receiving 100% disability compensation due to individual unemployability. The 100% rating and disability compensation is determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. This Act sets forth the minimum requirements that a claimant in any county must meet in determining eligibility for the exemption. Each county may impose additional requirements as necessary for eligibility. The minimum requirements are as follows: (1) the disabled veteran must be legally domiciled in the State for a period of time established by the county; and (2) the property for which the exemption is sought must be solely owned by the disabled veteran (or jointly with spouse) and used as his or her primary place of residence.

This bill increases the minimum amount of property damage that triggers the mandatory reporting of a vehicular collision to police from $500 to $2,000. This bill also increases the minimum amount of property damage requiring police agencies to investigate from $1,000 to $2,000. This increase makes Delaware more consistent with other states and reflects the Legislature’s intention in 1997 to increase the amount annually by $100.

This Act recognizes the importance of sibling relationships to promote continuity and sustain family relationships for children in foster care by doing all of the following: 1. Requires a child's service plan include contact information and details regarding sibling visits, unless sibling visits are not in the best interest of either child. 2. Requires DSCYF to arrange visits with siblings when requested by a child, unless the visit is not in the best interest of a child, would violate a protection order, or would have a detrimental effect on the prosecution of a criminal case. 3. Provides a child with specific rights regarding their siblings, including placement near or with siblings if possible, and the ability to maintain frequent and meaningful contact if placement together is not possible. This Act also requires that a child, age 14 or older receive a written document containing the child's rights regarding placement and contact with siblings. This Act is known as the "Foster Child Siblings Bill of Rights".

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes January 2020 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Delaware.

This act restores the $500 senior real property tax credit.