Sen. Nicole Poore

This Act authorizes paramedics and other EMS providers to provide medical care to police dogs injured at the scene of an emergency. This Act also grants civil immunity to paramedics and other EMS providers who provide medical services to police dogs, so long as their efforts to assist the police dog were in good faith. However, this Act clarifies that in a situation where a human and a police dog need emergency medical care at the same time, the medical services personnel are prohibited from providing care to the police dog over the human, if the care of the police dog would hinder the human’s care.

This Act requires that an owner be reimbursed up to $1,500 annually for veterinary care expenses paid by the owner for the care of a retired law-enforcement canine. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security shall issue veterinary care reimbursements and promulgate regulations to create a reimbursement process for retired law-enforcement canines from the State Police and Capitol Police. The State Fire Prevention Commission shall issue veterinary care reimbursements and promulgate regulations to create a reimbursement process for retired law-enforcement canines from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The Department of Correction and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall issue veterinary care reimbursements and promulgate regulations to create a reimbursement process for retired law-enforcement canines that assisted their respective divisions. This Act is effective immediately and shall be implemented 6 months after enactment. This Act does not apply to law-enforcement canines that retire before the implementation date of this Act.

This Act permits an individual who is a reproductive health care services provider or employee to apply for participation in Delaware's Address Confidentiality Program, which allows participants to keep their actual address confidential by applying to the Department of Justice for a substitute address to which all mail will be delivered. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act directs the State’s current needle exchange program to take a needs-based approach. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act changes the composition of the Commission and further clarifies the definition of “veterans” as it pertains to this Section of Title 29. The Delaware Commission of Veterans’ Affairs is comprised of members, appointed by the Governor, who represent specific veteran organizations. The United States Congress defines the Korean War Era as June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955, and today most living Korean War Veterans are in their upper 80s or lower 90s. This amendment will redesignate the seat to an organization that is self-perpetuating and whose membership will continue on, and also serve to provide the diverse representation of all veterans. Also preserved is the ability of the current Korean War Commissioner to remain as a Commissioner until his term expires or that seat otherwise becomes vacant. The sole remaining active Chapter of the Korean War Veterans of America in Delaware is in the process of being disbanded due to lack of membership. The Office of Veterans Services is staffed by individuals employed by the State, but who have been required, by reference to the definition of “veteran,” to have “served honorably.” Staffing of the OVS, including the veterans’ cemeteries, has been challenging. This amendment clarifies that a veteran, for qualification as a commissioner, must have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. This clarification is consistent with federal laws and regulations regarding the definition of “veteran.”

This Act allows a practitioner with the authority to prescribe medication to give the unused portion of topical medication used during treatment to a patient upon discharge or the conclusion of the visit. This Act is based on the Model Act created by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which has been adopted in Illinois. During a procedure, practitioners may use only a few drops or small amount of medication from a container. Because regulations governing the ability to dispense the remaining portion of stock-item medications can be unclear or appear overly burdensome, many facilities do not allow the practitioner to dispense that container to the patient to take home with them. Instead, the practitioner must write a prescription for the patient and the medication that remains in the container is discarded. By allowing patients to take home provider-dispensed medication, this Act reduces waste and health-care costs and by eliminating the extra burden of going to the pharmacy to fill a prescription, this Act will better ensure medication compliance. This Act is known as "The Topical Medical Waste Reduction Act". This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

There are thousands of casual/seasonal employees, who work for the State of Delaware. These hard-working individuals make up a critical part of the state government workforce and play a significant role in keeping our state running and delivering services to the people of Delaware. Since these individuals are not eligible for the state pension plan, many of them are eager to participate in a retirement savings plan so that they can save, invest, and build wealth for a secure and comfortable retirement. Currently, these individuals are not permitted to participate in the state’s 457(b) plan. This bill allows casual/seasonal employees the opportunity to participate in the 457(b) plan.

This Act requires physicians who are discontinuing business, leaving the State, or terminating a patient-physician relationship for any other reason to notify affected patients at least thirty days prior to the discontinuation of services via first class mail and an electronic message if electronic communication is available. It removes the requirement that physicians ending a patient-physician relationship publish a notice in a newspaper of daily circulation. Notice sent to patients must include information about how the patient may obtain their medical records and information about other physician services in the area that are available to patients who will require continued medical care. This Act further adds that a patient receive notice by electronic message, if available, when a physician dies and has not transferred patient records to another health-care provider. Finally, this Act makes technical changes to create consistency with those sections being amended by SB 74 of the 152nd General Assembly, relating to the transfer of medical records in other health-care professions.

This Act establishes targets for annual purchase of electric school buses through fiscal year 2030, and requires the Department of Education to submit an annual implementation report through 2029 as well as a comprehensive report in 2030 detailing future recommendations for electric vehicle purchases and other measures to reduce the carbon and environmental impact of the State’s school transportation fleet.

This Act creates an Electric Vehicle Rebate Program to incentivize the purchase and lease of new and used electric vehicles by Delaware residents. All-electric vehicles shall receive a rebate of no more than $2,500 and hybrid vehicles shall receive a rebate of no more than $1,000. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall develop standards, forms, and procedures necessary to implement this program. This program will be terminated if either of the following occurs and notice is given to the Registrar of Regulations and the General Assembly: (1) Available funds for the program will be exhausted within the following year; or (2) It is determined that the median cost of electric vehicles is comparable with the median cost of similar internal combustion engine vehicles