This Substitute differs from Senate Bill No. 222 as follows: (1) By clarifying the definition of “Core CPI” by including “over-the-year”, which is used by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics to make clear the calculation is year-over-year and not year-to-date. (2) By clarifying that the Commissioner will use the bimonthly indices developed by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics ending with the bimonthly index issued in January of the applicable rate filing year. (3) By setting, in Section 2 of this Act, the Core CPI for rate filing year 2022 at 2.7%. As a result, under § 2503(a)(12)a.1. of Title 18 of the Delaware Code, the allowable aggregate unit price growth for rate filing year 2022 is 3.7%, which is the Core CPI, or 2.7%, plus 1%.
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This resolution congratulates the class 2021 Eagle Scouts for having attained the highest rank one can earn in the Boy Scouts of America.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more and more popular. Between 2012 and 2016, EV sales grew at an annual rate 32%. In 2017, growth in sales reached 45%. Batteries for EVs have become much cheaper in the last 10 years, enabling EVs to compete with traditional, fossil-fueled vehicles. In addition, major vehicle manufacturers are pledging to go all electric. Some researchers are predicting that EV sales will outnumber those of traditional, combustion engine vehicles by 2040. However, only minimal electrical charging infrastructure is available today. Like Senate Bill No. 187, this Substitute will make it easier and more convenient to own an electric vehicle in this State in the years to come, resulting in increased purchases of electric vehicles, promoting cleaner air and water, and resulting in improved health outcomes for Delawareans and a reduction of greenhouse gases to curtail global warming. Specifically, like Senate Bill No. 187, this Substitute achieves these ends by requiring municipalities with a population of 30,000 or more to develop a procedure to obtain permission for the installation of an electric vehicle charging station on real property zoned for residential use that abuts a residential street. This Substitute differs from Senate Bill No. 187 as follows: (1) By removing the requirement that an ordinance adopted by a municipality establish the qualifications required by the licensed electrician who installs an electric vehicle charging station. (2) By clarifying that a municipality may not require an individual owner of real property to install an electric vehicle charging station for another person, including a tenant, guest, or customer, unless the requirement is adopted as part of a municipal zoning or building code that is of general applicability. This Substitute Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a municipal charter, whether directly, by amendment to a specific municipality’s charter, or, as in this Act, indirectly, by a general law.
This bill provides flexibility for nursing and assisted living facilities to make hiring decisions contingent on staff influenza vaccination status.
This Act, known as the Delaware Climate Change Solutions Act, follows the issuance of Delaware’s Climate Action Plan in 2021, and establishes a statutory requirement of greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the medium and long term to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the State, establishing a mandatory and regularly updated plan to achieve those emissions reductions and develop resilience strategies for the State, and requires State agencies to address climate change in decision-making and rulemaking.
This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the regular session of the General Assembly from extending beyond 5:00 p.m. on the last day of June, unless the session is recalled by the Governor or the presiding officers of both Houses. This changes the time beyond which a regular session of the General Assembly may not extend from midnight on June 30 to 5:00 p.m., which changes the time at which the presiding officers of both Houses must act to recall the General Assembly into special session. This means the General Assembly no longer has to remain in session until midnight to recall itself into special session. This Act does not change the date of or process for “final adjournment,” as defined in Opinion of the Justices, 175 A.2d 543, 545 (Del. 1961) (“‘[F]inal adjournment’ . . . means the adjournment sine die of the second regular session, or, in the absence of such adjournment, the extinguishment of the particular General Assembly by reason of expiration of the terms of office of the members.”). In addition, this Act contemplates that each House will continue its traditional practice of recessing to the call of the chair. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.
Campaign contribution limits have not been changed since 1991. Since then, the cost of a 1st class stamp has increased from 29 cents to 58 cents today. Since 1991, the Consumer Price Index has risen by at least 90 percent. The Act authorizes the Commissioner of Elections, as of January 1 after each general election, to adjust and set new election campaign contribution limits for statewide and non-statewide elections based upon the change to the Consumer Price Index that occurs since the most recent adjustment to these contribution limits.
This Act exempts all Judicial Branch employees from the Executive Branch’s Merit System of Personnel Administration. By enacting a comprehensive set of Judicial Branch Personnel Rules and updating those rules to apply to all Judicial Branch employees, the Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court has exercised his constitutionally conferred authority to administer employment relations for the Judicial Branch. Superior Court v. State, Public Employment Relations Bd., 988 A.2d 429 (Del. 2010). This Act recognizes and respects the constitutional powers vested in the Chief Justice, as the administrative head of the Judicial Branch, to govern Judicial Branch employment relations. This Act will not curtail any bargained-for employment rights currently held by Judicial Branch employees covered by the Merit System. Instead, this Act will simplify matters of personnel administration for the Judicial Branch by having one consistent set of rules and processes apply equally to all Judicial Branch employees. This Act will become effective for all current and future Judicial Branch employees within six months from the date of enactment.
This resolution recognizes the month of June as "Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month" in Delaware.
This Act defines certain facilities which will require an applicant seeking a permit for a new facility, or expansion of an existing facility, or renewal of an existing permit, located in an overburdened community, as defined in the Act, to provide an environmental justice impact report. Facility includes the following commercial or industrial business: (1) Manufacturer of animal food, meat, seafood, tobacco, manufactured home, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, asphalt, ready-mix concrete, primary metal, nonmetallic mineral products, ammunition or transport equipment; (2) pulp, paper, paperboard and sawmills; (3) rail or water freight dock; (4) landfill, transfer station, resource recovery, scrap metal or recycle center or compost operator; (5) sewage treatment center, animal waste processor or sludge processor; (6) commercial livestock and poultry growers; (7) medical waste incinerator (with the exception of those attendant to a hospital or university intended to process self-generated medical waste); and (8) commercial or industrial businesses not contained in (1)-(7) that currently contribute or upon permit approval would contribute to the cumulative pollution in an overburdened community, as identified by the Department in conjunction with the Environmental Justice Board. For all permit applications, the environmental justice impact report would be required at least 60 days before a required public hearing. Under the Act an “overburdened community” is defined as any census tract, as delineated in the most recent U.S. Census, in which one or more of the following applies: (1) 35% of the residents are below 185% of federal poverty level. (2) At least 25% or more identify as minority or member of a state or federally recognized tribal community or immigrant. (3) 25% or more have limited English proficiency as defined by U.S. Census Bureau. (4) Geographic locations that potentially experience harms and risks as determined by the Environmental Justice Board. The Department would be required to create and post on its website a list of “overburdened communities” and update the list every 2 years. The Act establishes the Environmental Justice Board to review and make recommendations on the environmental justice impact reports, conduct public hearings, and other measures to help the Department fulfill the purpose of this chapter. The public hearing on the permit would be required to provide an opportunity for meaningful public participation by the overburdened community. Following the public hearing the Secretary would be required to consider the recommendation of the Environmental Justice Board and the testimony presented at the public hearing. The Secretary could impose conditions to the permit that may be necessary to reduce the adverse impact to the public health or to the environment in the overburdened community. The Secretary would have the authority to deny a permit application in an overburdened community upon a finding that the cumulative impact imposed by the new or expanded facility would constitute an unreasonable risk to the health of the residents of the overburdened community or to the environment in that community. The Act requires the Department to establish rules and regulations to implement the Act, in consultation with the Environmental Justice Board, within 6 months after its enactment.