This Act requires a landlord who provides a dwelling place to a person as part of their employment compensation to provide them with a disclosure form advising them of the conditions and requirements for occupancy and vacancy of the premises once they are no longer employed for the landlord. The disclosure must inform the tenant employee that the landlord must offer the tenant, within 5 business days of termination by the employer, the opportunity to enter into a written rental agreement, if no rental agreement is in effect already. No offer for a rental agreement is necessary if the tenant employee is terminated for cause. The landlord may condition the rental agreement on the person financially qualifying as a tenant and meeting the landlord’s income, credit, or other financial requirements for renting the unit. This Act also lengthens the time period the landlord must wait before bringing a summary possession action against a formerly employed tenant from 15 days to 30 days unless the termination is for cause.
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This Act requires that Medicaid and State employee health plans cover: (1) ovarian cancer monitoring tests for women treated for ovarian cancer; and (2) annual screening tests for women at risk for ovarian cancer.
This Act corrects, clarifies, and amends Title 29, Chapter 69 which articulates state procurement guidelines and procedures. The changes to the chapter realign some responsibilities from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to the Director of the Section of Government Support Services (Section) within the Office of Management and Budget. Additional chapter amendments include the addition of processes to Subchapter VI, Professional Services, and authorizes the Section to lead some mandatory use Professional Services contracting efforts. The Professional Services changes made are similar to the processes and procedures as identified in other subchapters of Chapter 69. The changes will not impact the vendor community.
Section 1 of this Act establishes the Legislative Hall Art and History Advisory Commission ("Commission"). The Commission is established to advise and make recommendations to Legislative Council regarding art, monuments, and historical exhibits to be displayed in Legislative Hall or on the grounds of Legislative Hall. Section 2 of this Act ensures that the Commission’s meetings are open to the public.
This Act creates a new elections crime: “use of deep fake technology to influence an election.” Under this statute it would be a crime to distribute within 90 days of an election a “deep fake” – that is an audio or visual depiction that has been manipulated or created with generative adversarial network techniques, with the intent of harming a party or candidate or otherwise deceiving voters. It is not a crime, nor is there a penalty, if the altered media contains a disclaimer stating “This audio/video/image has been altered or artificially generated.” There is also provision for civil injunctive relief for a candidate depicted in a deep fake. There are various exceptions to protect speech, expression, and media rights. A violation of this statute is a class B misdemeanor unless the deepfake is intended to cause violence or bodily harm, in which case it is a class A misdemeanor, or if it is a repeat offense within 5 years, in which case it is a class E felony. Pursuant to § 5101 of Title 15, all offenses under this section are heard in Superior Court. This Substitute bill differs from original House Bill No. 316 in that it adds the caveat “if no visual disclosure is feasible” in relation to disclosures for audio-only media. It adds mobile applications, Internet websites, and streaming platforms to the exceptions under (d)(1) and (d)(2). It explicitly adds a carveout related to the liability shield of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It states that the Act is not intended to restrict the ability of a person to detect, prevent, respond to, or protect against security incidents, identity theft, fraud, harassment, malicious or deceptive activities or any illegal activity, preserve the integrity or security of systems or investigate, report, or prosecute those responsible for any such action.
This Joint Resolution directs the Division of Motor Vehicles to opt into the FMCSA’s federal exemption that allows for first time CDL applicants seeking a school bus only endorsement on their driver’s license. An applicant’s school bus only endorsement would only apply to intrastate operation of a school bus. The Division of Motor Vehicles is directed to implement this policy by May 1, 2024.
Healthcare facility assessments are currently the second largest source of funding for states’ shares of Medicaid costs, behind general funds. Today, 49 states have at least one facility assessment in place, including Delaware, while 34 states and Washington D.C. have 3 or more provider taxes. Delaware is one of only 6 states without a facility assessment on hospitals, causing the state to miss out on critical Medicaid funding that most states are already able to access. This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 13. Like Senate Bill No. 13, this Act creates the Hospital Quality Assessment, which places a 3.58% assessment on Delaware hospitals’ net patient revenues. Funds generated by the Hospital Quality Assessment must be utilized in one of two ways: (1) To increase the inpatient and outpatient payments to hospitals. (2) To develop or enhance funding for Medicaid initiatives, unlocking federal matching dollars. Funds may not be used to supplant or replace appropriations for programs in existence on the effective date of this Act, except for 25% of these funds, which may be used to support the general operations of the Medicaid program. Like Senate Bill No. 13, this Act also creates the Hospital Quality and Health Equity Assessment Commission (“Commission”), which includes state agency and hospital representation. The Commission is required to meet at least annually to monitor the implementation of the assessment. If the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) determines that either the assessment or the expenditure of money does not satisfy eligibility requirements for federal financial participation or that modifications are necessary to assure continued eligibility for federal financial participation, the Commission shall develop and approve modifications to Subchapters II and III of Chapter 10 of Tile 16 of the Delaware Code and submit the modifications to the General Assembly. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 13 as follows: (1) By directing the Department of Health and Social Services (“Department”) to administer the Hospital Quality Assessment. (2) By establishing a different method of calculating the assessment for a hospital that begins or ceases hospital operations or does not conduct hospital operations through a calendar year or fiscal year. (3) By prohibiting a hospital subject to the Hospital Quality Assessment from passing on the cost of the assessment to any patient, insurer, self-insured program, or other responsible party. (4) By requiring a hospital subject to the Hospital Quality Assessment to attest in writing to the Department that an oral or written, formal or informal agreement or arrangement does not exist to share, redirect, or redistribute Medicaid payments which would result in violation of federal or state law. (5) By updating the split in percentages of the funds collected from the Hospital Quality Assessment to reflect the wide range of federal match levels for services. The expected amount to be collected by the Assessment does not change as the result of the update. (6) By requiring the Registrar of Regulations to publish in the Register of Regulations a certification by the Commission under § 1034(d) and (e) of Title 16 of the Delaware Code, as contained in this Act. (7) By providing that appointments of members of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives and Senate are to be made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, respectively. (8) By making modifications to the requirements for meetings of the Commission. (9) By providing that modifications to Subchapters II and III of Chapter 10 of Tile 16 of the Delaware Code recommended by the Commission take effect as of July 1 of the ensuing fiscal year unless rejected in full by an act of the General Assembly before that ensuing fiscal year. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 11 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 impose or levy a tax or license fee. This Act may be cited as the “Protect Medicaid Act of 2024”.
This Act implements a recommendation from the December 31, 2023, Report of the Retiree Healthcare Benefits Advisory Subcommittee (RHBAS). Under this Act, the State must continue to offer eligible pensioners first employed by the State as a regular officer or employee (first employed) before January 1, 2025, a plan that is comparable to the current Special Medicfill Medicare Supplement plan. However, for eligible pensioners first employed on or after January 1, 2025, the State may offer different Medicare supplement plans that are not high deductible plans. This Act differs from the RHBAS recommendation because it does not limit the plan for eligible pensioners first employed on or after January 1, 2025, to plans that are comparable to the current Medicare supplement Plan G and Plan L. This difference is because under this Act, the State will not be able to offer a different Medicare supplement plan to any eligible pensioners until January 1, 2040, and details about the Medicare supplement plans that will be available at that time is unknown. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual and to align with related legislation.
The purpose of this Act is to combat aggressive driving and dangerous speed differentials on targeted roadways. This Act prohibits vehicles from traveling in the left lane on the portions of State Route 1 or Interstate 495 that are an express highway, as defined in § 101 of Title 17, or a controlled access facility, as defined in § 172 of Title 17, except in any of the following circumstances: (1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing overtaking and passing another vehicle. (2) When necessary to enter, leave, or continue on the roadway. (3) When necessary due to an obstruction. (4) When necessary in response to emergency conditions. (5) When necessary due to traffic conditions or congestion. (6) To comply with other law or regulation. In addition to being prohibited from traveling in the left lane, a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 26,000 pounds is further restricted to traveling only in the right-hand lane except in the same circumstances as when a vehicle may travel in the left lane. An operator who refuses, fails, or neglects to comply with § 4114A is subject to a civil penalty as follows: (1) For a first occurrence, a civil penalty of not less than $25 nor more than $75. (2) For a subsequent occurrence, a civil penalty of not less than $57.50 nor more than $95.
This Act is a Substitute for Senate Bill No. 82. Both this Act and SB 82 require State programs to provide annual reports to the General Assembly about compliance with federal and State law and regulation that require meaningful access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) and effective communication for individuals with disabilities. Both this Act and SB 82 provide support for language and communication assistance for individuals renting or purchasing a home or facing eviction or foreclosure. This Act and SB 82 create a short-term program within the Office of the Manufactured Housing Ombudsperson and the Department of Justice. This program will provide special language and communication assistance support for individuals with limited English proficiency and individuals with disabilities to better understand and participate in matters related to residential leases and evictions and home purchases and foreclosures. The Department of Justice is not required to spend more than $48,500 on translation and interpretation services, and auxiliary aids, in the fiscal year following 30 days after enactment. This Act differs from SB 82 as follows: (1) Some definitions are updated to conform more closely to federal law. Additionally, this Act narrows the definition of "individual with a disability" to be someone with a disability affecting communication, since this Act is designed to gather data and provide support related to effective communication. (2) This Act narrows the scope of agency programs about which reporting must occur. Instead of collecting information about agency-wide compliance, this Act will gather preliminary information about compliance by obtaining reports about a sample of agency programs. This Act requires the secretaries and directors of various departments and divisions to select and report about at least 2 operations, units, or services provided by their department or division. Certain enumerated entities under § 10604(b) of Title 29 will be required to report about their compliance. Also, the Department of Justice shall select 5 programs that will be required to submit reports. (3) In SB 82, programs had to complete narrative reports for the first 3 years after enactment. Beginning 4 years after enactment, the reporting programs were required to submit reports that required data collection. This Act keeps only the narrative reports. (4) Revises the special language and communication assistance program to allow the Department of Justice to create 1 program to fulfill its obligations under this Act to provide support for language and communication assistance for individuals renting or purchasing a home or manufactured home or facing eviction or foreclosure, as well as limits the program’s obligations to the extent of the appropriated funds received. (5) In SB 82, the special language and communication assistance program was to sunset 2 years after enactment unless otherwise extended, while the reporting requirements were to continue. In this Act, the entire Act sunsets 2 years after enactment unless extended by an act of the General Assembly.