Sen. Nicole Poore

Recent high-profile attacks on judges and their families are a constant reminder to those that choose public service that they may be doing so at the risk of their and their loved ones’ lives. The death of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas’ son, Daniel Anderl, in New Jersey is tragically just one example – numerous instances of threatening and harassing behavior targeted at judicial officers rarely make prime time news but nonetheless impacts them. The rise and use of social media and online access to information has made it more difficult for judicial officers to maintain their privacy. This Act would allow judicial officers to make a written request that their personal information not be published and remain confidential. The Act takes effect 1 year after its enactment to allow for implementation.

This Act expands eligibility for the Department of Correction's Education Assistance Fund beyond correctional officers to employees who hold a position at paygrade 15 or below and meet the other existing requirements. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including by creating a new Subchapter III of Chapter 89 of Title 29, because the Department of Correction's Education Assistance Fund is not related to the topic of Subchapter II.

The Act places the Parents Right to Know Act in the Department of Education instead of the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families. This Act also clarifies the notice requirements.

This bill removes the exclusion of Community Transportation Funds from the performance-based rating system.

This bill repeals certain provisions in Title 11 relating to abortion including provisions which treat abortion differently than other medical procedures, and provisions which criminalize women and the sale of medical devices and medicines.

This Act amends the Delaware Energy Act to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in the State by creating more accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Specifically, this Act permits State agencies to charge a fee for public or employee use of electric vehicle supply equipment installed by the agency so long as the fees do not exceed the agency’s costs. “Costs” means the costs associated with electricity used by the agency’s electric vehicle supply equipment, installation of the agency’s electric vehicle supply equipment, and maintenance of the infrastructure and equipment of the agency’s electric vehicle supply equipment. This Act limits the locations where the charging infrastructure may be placed by the State to state-owned or state-leased properties used by state employees or visitors.

This Act provides a senior discount for residents and non-residents 62 years of age and older, for a conservation access pass, and a life-time conservation access pass for Delaware residents, 65 years of age and older, consistent with current senior discounts for access fees to Delaware State Parks.

This Act creates a tuition reimbursement program for volunteer firefighters, similar to already existing programs for law enforcement officers and National Guard members. Pursuant to this program, active volunteer firefighters may be reimbursed for tuition for 2 undergraduate level courses or one masters level course per semester at any Delaware college or university. The State Fire Prevention Commission is charged with promulgating rules and regulations and administering the program.

Senate Bill No. 78 enhances the qualifications for an individual to serve as a member of a school board or the State Board of Education. Specifically, this Act does all of the following: 1. Requires a prospective member of a school district board or State Board of Education to undergo the background check for child-serving entities and provides authority for the State Bureau of Identification to provide the required background check information to the appropriate entities. 2. Provides that background check information provided under this Act is not a public record under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act. 3. Requires that the Commissioner of Elections determine that an individual does not have any disqualifying convictions before the individual can be a candidate for election to a school board. 4. Requires the suspension of a member of a school board or the State Board of Education if the member is charged with a crime that would disqualify the individual from holding the position if convicted. 5. Requires the suspension of a charter school board member who is charged with a disqualifying offense. Existing law requires potential charter school board members to undergo and pass a criminal background check to serve as a charter school board member. 6. Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. The disqualifying convictions under Senate Bill No. 78 are similar to those that cause an educator to lose their license or certificate and the additional qualifications do not apply to current school board members until the expiration of the member’s current term, unless the member is charged with a disqualifying crime while serving. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 78 differs from Senate Bill No. 78 as follows: 1. Automatically suspends a member of the State Board of Education or a vocational-technical school district board if the member is charged with a disqualifying crime instead of requiring the Governor to suspend the member. 2. Imposes a 10-year period of ineligibility, instead of a lifetime bar, for someone convicted of a violent felony. 3. Removes the section making this Act effective immediately because legislation is always effective immediately, unless otherwise provided, so that section is unnecessary. Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 78 differs from Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 78 and Senate Bill No. 78 as follows: 1. Changes the permanent disqualification of an individual convicted of a felony offense against public administration to a 10-year disqualification like other felonies. 2. Requires a candidate for election to a school board to have requested the background checks by the deadline to file notice of candidacy but provides the State Bureau of Identification and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families with 15 days to provide the results of the background checks. 3. Revises § 309 to Title 31 so that background check reports required under this Act are provided to the proper entities and makes additional revisions to § 309 to Title 31 for internal consistency within the statute and for consistency with other provisions of this Act.

Senate Bill No. 209, enacted by the 145th General Assembly, extended the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Act for approvals granted through June 30, 2020. Senate Bill No. 260, enacted by the 150th General Assembly, extended the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Act through June 2021. This Act extends the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Act for approvals granted through June 2030 and puts the provision regarding the effective date in the Code.