Sen. Marie Pinkney

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution designates September 2024 as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in Delaware to highlight the health condition and its impact on the community. The document provides background information on the disease, noting that it affects over 3,000 residents in the state and that the vast majority of patients are from minority backgrounds. It also mentions current efforts by local healthcare providers and a planned statewide data collection program to improve care and policy. Ultimately, the bill serves as a formal acknowledgment rather than a law that changes funding or medical procedures.

This Act creates a new state-level Department of Veterans’ Affairs, headed by a cabinet-level Secretary appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Department will take over most of the duties currently handled by the Commission on Veterans’ Affairs and its staff. The Commission will continue in its current form, but under the Department of Veterans’ Affairs rather than the Department of State, and it will continue to advise on the duties of the Department and make recommendations regarding the welfare of veterans in the State. The Department will assume the assets and liabilities of the Commission and current staff of the Commission will become staff of the Department.

This act adds adult sibling of a decedent to the definition of next of kin in Chapter 47 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code relating to the Division of Forensic Science. This expansion of the definition of next of kin will, for example, allow the Medical Examiner to release the personal property of a decedent to an adult sibling of a decedent, when there is no other next of kin. It will also allow the Medical Examiner to provide a copy of a post mortem examination report to an adult sibling, upon written request, when there is no other next of kin.

This bill provides important consumer protections for property insurance contracts by improving the reliability of mailed notifications of policy cancellation or renewal. Section 1 of this bill requires insurers to deliver any homeowners’ notices of cancellation or nonrenewal by USPS certified mail or USPS Intelligent Mail barcode. Further, whereas currently an insurer can cancel or non-renew a policy because of two non-weather-related claims over the lifetime of the policy, this legislation provides a reasonable claims lookback period for non-weather-related claims, as is already the case for claims in other portions of this subsection of the Code. Section 2 of this bill precludes an insurance carrier from refusing to renew a homeowners’ policy based on non-weather claims unless 2 or more claims occur within the 36-month period immediately preceding the expiration of the current policy period.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution that officially designates June 2024 as Pride Month in Delaware. It does not create new laws or change state policies but serves to acknowledge the historical significance of the LGBTQ+ community and its ongoing fight for equality. The text highlights the progress made since the 1969 Stonewall riots while noting that discrimination and hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people, remain concerns. By recognizing this month, the legislature aims to show support for the community and reaffirm its commitment to fairness and dignity for all Delaware residents.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes the importance of community health workers as well as “Community Health Improvement Week” in the State of Delaware.

This Resolution proclaims June 19, 2024, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" in Delaware and encourages the people of Delaware to reflect upon the significant roles and many contributions of African Americans, and to celebrate this day with appropriate activities and events.

This House Concurrent Resolution reaffirms Delaware's commitment to strengthen the longstanding partnership with Taiwan, supports Taiwan’s efforts to secure the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement and an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement with the United States; commends Taiwan’s vibrant full-fledged democracy; supports the reopening of a Delaware Trade Office in Taiwan; and continues to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation and contributions in international organizations.

Delaware relies on fees imposed as surcharges by the criminal legal system to generate revenue for government services. These criminal fees can be an unstable revenue generator, especially when there are recessions, pandemics, or other major economic events. This Act repeals three fees that currently fund videophone systems used by state and local agencies, personnel, equipment, and training expenses related to judicial branch security, and victim notification initiatives. The elimination of these fees was recommended by the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group created by House Bill 244, as amended by House Amendment No 2, of the 151st General Assembly, in its December 7, 2023 report. The Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group also recommended replacement of lost revenue for affected agencies as needed with General Funds. In repealing these fees, the General Assembly intends to eliminate any outstanding balances owed on these fees.

This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the limitations on when an individual may vote absentee and authorizes the General Assembly to enact general laws providing the circumstances, rules, and procedures for absentee voting in this State. This Act is in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Albence v. Higgins, 2022 Del. LEXIS 377 (Del. 2022). This Act requires all absentee ballots to include an oath or affirmation that the qualified voter’s vote is free from improper influence. This oath or affirmation is in lieu of the oath or affirmation required under Section 3 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution. Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly. 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.