This Senate Concurrent Resolution proclaims January 23, 2022, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in the State of Delaware.
This Act modifies the existing fees and supporting fee structure for air quality natural minor permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. This Act creates a new subsection establishing fees associated with the natural minor permit program. The existing fees were established in a 1991 bill, but not codified. The fees have not been adjusted in almost 3 decades and as a result the program is not self-sustaining. This Act will allow for a phased approach to increase these fees, with the first increase intended to result in funding 50% of the program costs. Evaluations will occur before July 1 of 2024 and July 1 of 2027 with recommended adjustments to fund 75% and 100% of the program costs respectively. It also requires subsequent evaluations, to occur every three years, to ensure the fees are completely funding the program. Sources subject to fees pursuant to Subchapter VIII of this Chapter, who are not delinquent, are exempt from natural minor permit fees.
This concurrent resolution remembers and recognizes the life and service of former Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution honors and recognizes the leadership, achievements, and sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and urges all citizens of the First State to participate fittingly in the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 17, 2022.
This Concurrent Resolution recognizes January 9, 2022, as "Law Enforcement Appreciation Day" in Delaware.
This bill adopts a key recommendation of the Child Protection Accountability Commission Caseloads and Workloads final report approved on November 20, 2019 that child protection treatment caseload standards be reduced from 18 to 12 families per worker. This report concluded that child protection treatment worker caseload standards within the Division of Family Services present significant safety risks to children and families. Due to the volume of work generated by a caseload of 18 families, workers are significantly restricted in the time workers can spend on critical case activities, such as family engagement, assessment of safety, and face-to-face contact with children and families. Section 2 states that funding will be phased in over two fiscal years beginning in FY23.
This resolution honors the life and legacy of former Delaware State Senator Robert L. Venables, Sr.
This Act expands the Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust’s responsibility to review deadly use of force incidents by law enforcement by adding review of cases involving serious physical injury. It also requires that if the Division issues a public report on the use of force, the report must include the race of the law enforcement officer who used force, the race of the individual on whom force was used, and whether race was a relevant or motivating factor.
Over 80% of pharmaceuticals in the United States are purchased through pharmacy benefits manager ("PBM") networks. PBMs serve as intermediaries between health plans, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and pharmacies or pharmacists, and PBMs establish networks for patients to receive reimbursement for drugs. Given the scope of PBMs in the healthcare delivery system, this Act is designed to provide enhanced oversight and transparency as it relates to PBMs. Specifically, this Act does the following: (1) If a PBM denies an appeal for reimbursement subject to maximum allowable cost pricing, requires the PBM to provide the national drug code number of wholesalers in Delaware that have the drug in stock below maximum allowable cost. (2) Authorizes a pharmacy or pharmacist to decline to dispense a prescription drug or provide a pharmacy service to a patient if the amount reimbursed by a PBM is less than the pharmacy acquisition cost. If a pharmacy or pharmacist declines to provide a drug or service, the pharmacy or pharmacist must inform the patient that the pharmacy or pharmacist did this because of the costs of providing the drug or service and provide the patient with a list of pharmacies in the area that may provide the drug or service. (3) Requires PBMs to provide a reasonably adequate and accessible pharmacy benefits manager network. (4) Increases transparency by requiring PBMs to provide reports to the Insurance Commissioner on network adequacy and the amount of rebates received by PBMs to provide reports to the Insurance Commissioner on network adequacy and the amount of rebates received by PBMs and distributed to insurers or patients. (5) Prohibits PBMs from engaging in certain conduct, such as spread pricing, false advertising, and reimbursing a pharmacist or pharmacy in an amount less than the PBM reimburses itself or an affiliate for the same drug or service. If a PBM engages in prohibited conduct, the Insurance Commissioner is authorized to deny, suspend, or revoke the PBM's registration under § 3355A of Title 18 or impose penalties or take other enforcement action under § 3359A of Title 18. (6) Clarifies that the Insurance Commissioner is authorized to deny an application for registration filed by a PBM. (7) Increases the registration and renewal fee to be paid by a PBM to better reflect the cost of the registration and renewal process and better align with the fee assessed by other states that require PBMs to register. (8) Transfers § 3359A of Title 18 (regarding penalties and enforcement) to a separate subchapter focused on prohibited practices, penalties, and enforcement. In addition, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. Finally, this Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 10 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to increase the effective rate of any tax levied or license fee imposed.
This Act supports children who spent part or all of their teen years in the State's foster care system to access higher education by providing a tuition waiver program to cover the cost of tuition, fees, and (where offered) room and board at a public Delaware college or university.
